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Post by sven on Jul 31, 2009 12:23:54 GMT -7
Time: 22:00 PM
Date: March 12th, Wednesday, Week Two
Place: Brooklyn, New York - Good Night Motel
Status: Closed for everyone but Jaylin Luang and Ingegerd Gunnarsson
Sven was not a happy troll. Cooped up beneath the covers with the curtains to his cheap motel room closed, he was still completely miserable over the other day when a strange woman forced him to help her out of the Troll Market. If he ever showed his face there again, he'd be lucky to get away with a beating. He couldn't go back home yet either, since Ingegerd would definitely not settle for a beating if she saw him anytime soon. It was so unfair, he'd just been minding his own damn business!
What could he do to fix this? Whoever had caught the woman would probably realize that he'd done it just to save his own hide, but that was in no way a guarantee there wouldn't be any retribution. Catching the woman and drag her back was not even an option, how would he even find her? Maybe he could steal something, something really valuable to compensate whatever she had been worth? Yes, that could work. Because he couldn't lose the Troll Market, he just couldn't. Even if no-one really knew him there, he loved just walking around in the crowd, feeling that he really belonged and be acknowledged for what he really was. Even if it was just by someone who wanted him to buy something.
The signal of Sven's cell phone interrupted his thoughts. Looking at the number his heart skipped. Ingegerd, what could she want?
<"Hello?"> He answered in Swedish; they only spoke Swedish to each other.
<"I'm in New York. Where are you?"> Ingegerd spoke in her usual dead pan voice.
Sven blinked. <"You're in New York?">
<"Was my statement in anyway unclear? I am in New York, and I want to know where you are so we can go to the Troll Market. I have a man with me who wishes to visit the place. I assume you're in sort of motel? Give me the address.">
Sven couldn't believe what he was hearing. <"You want to go the- wait, who is with you?!">
<"Don't waste time babbling, just give me the address and your room number and we'll come to you.">
Completely off balance, Sven couldn't figure out anything to do besides stuttering out the Brooklyn address. Ingegerd hung up without saying goodbye. Sven remained on the bed for a few minutes, just staring out the air, his thoughts working full speed. What the hell could have happened to possess Ingegerd to want to come to the Troll Market? She'd made it very clear for years that she didn't want anything to do with it. And most importantly, who was the man with her? Did she have a boyfriend?! Who the hell could it be? She didn't meet anyone, except on those damn chat rooms. Oh, dear Lord, she had probably hooked up with some demonish fiend on line who was now luring her to the Market to sell their tails!
Haunted by all the nightmarish possibilities, Sven quickly made his bed and took a quick shower. Dressing in his tail custom ed jeans and a black T-shirt, he then abused the remote impatiently browsing through channels until there was a knock on the door. He practically flew up from the bed, running to the door and ripping it open.
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Post by ingegerd on Jul 31, 2009 12:31:07 GMT -7
Ingegerd had to restrain herself from not punching her father in the face when he opened the door, the rage from their fight rekindling easily when she saw him. But she kept her temper and just brushed past him to drop her bag on the bed. "This is Jaylin, and he would like to see the Troll Market." She motioned to her companion as she took of her jacket and opened the bag to get a towel and shampoo. She was still feeling the effects of her alcohol marathon and needed a shower. Plus she doubted she could stand being in the same room as Sven without exploding.
"I'm going to take a shower, and then we can go." Without further ado, she walked in the bathroom and slammed the door shut, leaving her father alone with a complete stranger. It was better that Jaylin spoke for himself. She wasn't really worried about Sven refusing, he never would deny her anything. Another reason why she couldn't bring herself to feel the slightest respect for the pathetic little man.
But soon she would be rid off him. She was still going strong on her suppression of the emotional conflict the revelation Jaylin's existence had brought, and would keep it up for as long as she could. All she had in mind now, was freeing herself from her father by showing him him that she could handle his world as well as the human one. That she would never survive on her own in the latter she didn't even consider.
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Post by jaylin on Aug 1, 2009 19:53:12 GMT -7
Jaylin had been expecting Ingegerd to stay in the room when introducing him to her father, particularly after insisting on being there when they met in the first place. He'd assumed there would be more in the way of an introduction than plopping them in a room together while she went to take a shower.
"Uh...hi. You're her dad? I guess she told you about me?"
He didn't know how much she told him, if he even knew what Jaylin was or...anything really.
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Post by sven on Aug 2, 2009 0:47:55 GMT -7
Sven blinked, turning to Jaylin. He'd barely noticed him until now, focused on Ingegerd as he was. Now upon closer inspection, he was relieved to find that the boyfriend theory was out the window. And he didn't look he was in either the demonic or tail-selling business.
"No, but since you want to go to the Market I assume you're, uh..." He couldn't really tell what species the effeminate man was, but he doubted Ingegerd would just drag some random human along like this. He'd taught her caution thoroughly after all. It manifesting as compulsive self-delusion and denial was a side effect he tried not to think about.
He took a deep breath, trying to get his head straight. "What are you, why do you want to go the Market and how do you know my daughter?" Rude, but it covered his most immediate concerns. His confusion was starting to give way to irritation. How could Ingegerd just dump this on him? She must be angling for something, and she was using this boy for it. That didn't particularly bother him though, it was more that she was doing it at this time when going to the Market was a really, really bad idea for both of them. He couldn't care less if the kid ended up mince meat, but if the troll who'd caught the woman got hold of his little girl...
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Post by jaylin on Aug 4, 2009 19:06:38 GMT -7
"Not quite normal?" he finished Sven's sentence.
Sven might have been thinking something a bit more blatant, but Jaylin wasn't quite comfortable enough with talking about this to blurt out 'not human' right away with someone who he hadn't just seen do the impossible. At least, not until the questions were blurted out. Then Jaylin considered it would be best to just say, particularly when he'd already told Ingegerd, and he was fairly certain that he wouldn't be here if this man wasn't really a troll.
"I'm a naga, I just ran into your daughter the other day and saw her doing her illusion thing, and we spoke. She mentioned the Troll Market, I'd never heard of it before, so I wanted to see what it was."
That seemed like a good enough explanation, though if her father was still suspicious he could explain that he was actually half naga, raised by his mother, and having never been a part of the supernatural world, he was seeking a way to be more a part of it.
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Post by sven on Aug 5, 2009 12:33:27 GMT -7
Naga? What the hell was a naga? Sven wasn't going to look stupid by asking though, but instead focused on the real vital bits of information: Ingegerd had just ran into some stranger, mentioned the Market and decided to bring him here when he asked? There had to be a lot more to this story, but the one holding those answers had locked herself in the bathroom like a teenager.
He couldn't really object to the situation though. He'd wanted Ingegerd to visit the Market for years to get in touch with her heritage. He'd really started to worry lately about the way she kept on insisting the magical world didn't exist, even after the public exposure of Hellboy. It actually hurt his pride, that some stranger had opened his little girls' eyes when he himself could not. If he'd known all Ingegerd would need was to meet another being like them, he would have bought her a pixie a long time ago.
He couldn't quite believe that it had been that easy, but he also really wanted to get back in Ingegerd's good graces. And it seemed that the best way of doing that was going along with this. For the moment.
"Aha. I see. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna need some kind of proof that you really are what you say. Can't be too careful after all." He gave a meaningful flick with his tail.
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Post by jaylin on Aug 5, 2009 20:50:32 GMT -7
Turning fully into his natural form was, in essence, no different than simply growing fangs and having his eyes go snakey. Either way, he'd be letting a stranger see what he really was. Noticing a bit of movement, Jaylin's eyes followed it to the man's tail. Yeah, he was pretty sure it was fine to show this man what he was, and now that he was in an apartment, he didn't have to worry about making sure no one around would see.
"Okay, I'll just change to my natural form."
And with that, his canines elongated into snake like fangs and his legs began to form into a long, scaly tail, forcing his pants down as he did so. Due to his half human nature, his natural form was not simply a snake, but a creature that appeared to have both features of a snake and a human.
"Will this do?"
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Post by sven on Aug 7, 2009 8:39:33 GMT -7
"Yes, it will." A regular Market visitor by now, Sven had seen the most. Though spotting strange creatures while in the safety of a crowd in a place with lots of places to hide was a lot different than being alone in a room with one. He prided himself in not taking a step back though.
Actually, this could be an advantage he realized. If this accompanied him and Ingegerd to the Market, there was a chance that the spurned captors wouldn't dare to exact revenge on him. Jaylin didn't seem very ferocious, but intimidating looks helped a lot. Otherwise, maybe a naga would be an acceptable exchange for whatever the woman had been worth...
Sven put his traitorous thoughts aside, and tried to smile. "I think an introduction should be in order then. My name is Sven Gunnarsson, troll and tailor in trade. " He reached out his hand, it only trembling a little bit.
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Post by jaylin on Aug 9, 2009 5:25:11 GMT -7
"Jaylin Luang," he said, taking the man's hand, "Naga and pet store manager."
And they had the best rodents, too. Well, not really. You tasted one reasonably healthy, clean rat, you tasted them all. Sure, there were a few sickly ones that had been in the walls of his apartment, but overall? They tasted just the same as the pretty pet store rats. He noticed that the man was trembling slightly, but at least he wasn't freaking out like his daughter did.
"And I was wondering," he began, wanting to ask this question while he still could, "How do they do trade in the Troll Market? Is there some kind of currency I need to get a hold of? Barter? Normal money?"
As he asked that, he slithered back to his pants, and then added, "Could you turn around so I can change back?"
Granted, he looked forward to being in this form in a place filled with supernatural sorts, but if it made this guy jumpy, he might as well be human until he got there.
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Post by sven on Aug 12, 2009 3:32:25 GMT -7
Sven had no trouble meeting his request, though he was a little surprised over the naga feeling self conscious around another male. Oh, well, he was probably just shy. Instead he focused on his question.
"That pretty much depends on the seller. Some want money, some want gold, and some want whatever's in your pocket. And some will just want you and give nothing in return. If I were you, I'd keep that shape when you're at the Market. It can be pretty dangerous."
Alright, he was exaggerating a bit, but caution was never a waste.
"So why hadn't you heard about the Market before now? Didn't know what you were until lately, or does your kind keep to themselves?" Sven didn't really care about the answers, but if he was going to use the kid as protection or bargaining, he would need his confidence. He had decided to help Ingegerd with whatever her plan was, but not without a safety.
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Post by jaylin on Aug 23, 2009 21:59:29 GMT -7
((OOC: Sorry about the delay.))
Jaylin nodded. He'd have to improvise when the time came to it. Of course, it was good to have a warning that some would just want him, it would keep him on his toes. Or...scales. Jaylin changed back, pulling on his jeans once more. He, of course, would return to his natural form at the market, as suggested, which would not only allow him to be physically intimidating, would give him an advantage should he have the need to spit venom in somebodies eye or bite them.
"And with the money...would that be American dollars that I would know, or would that be something else? Or does that depend on the seller, too?"
Now fully dressed, Jaylin stood up straight, listening as the questioning continued.
"I knew what I was, but wasn't really in contact with other nagas. I'm half human, I was living with my mother. I kept in contact with my father, but he never mentioned it."
Which didn't mean he didn't know about it. If it was the sort of place where Jaylin's attempt to buy something might end in him being bought, it was hardly surprising that his father wouldn't want him going anywhere near it. Also, if his father had any sense at all, which he did, he'd be well aware that telling Jaylin about something like that would pique his curiosity enough that he'd have to see it, danger or no.
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Post by ingegerd on Sept 7, 2009 11:41:17 GMT -7
In the bathroom, Ingegerd had finished her shower and was now wondering over how she would handle her entrance into the next room. She was still furious with Sven, but if Jaylin caught on, he might back out and then the whole point of this would be ruined. She realized it looked strange enough that she'd just left him with her father while she took off, but she just couldn't pretend like nothing had happened.
Unable to find a satisfying strategy, she decided to just wing it and opened the door to find Jaylin just buttoning up his pants with her father facing the door, asking the naga about why he didn't know of the Market. Okay, she was probably better off not knowing what had happened there...
She waited until Jaylin had answered Sven's question, and then closed the door behind her. "Are you two ready? I would like to go as soon as possible." She brushed past them to the bed, making a not so subtle attempt to look extremely busy checking her purse for her phone .
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Post by sven on Sept 7, 2009 11:49:09 GMT -7
"We be in America, so I wouldn't bother with anyone who doesn't want the dollar." Sven replied, not noticing Ingegerd's reappearance. He nearly jumped when she closed the door and walked to the bed.
"Hrm, yes, I am ready, if you are?" He looked at Jaylin. He had no idea how he would deal with Ingegerd at the moment, so he decided to go with whatever she wanted. This was also considerably better than the hysteric shrieking and cussing from their last encounter.
He was starting to feel somewhat confident about this whole situation. With Jaylin's monstrous shape accompanying them, they actually had a decent shot at getting in and out unscathed. And he would finally have a chance to show Ingegerd where she came from, and maybe finally help her accept herself for what she was.
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Post by jaylin on Sept 16, 2009 20:41:08 GMT -7
American money. Good. He could definitely swing that.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
In fact, in Jaylin's opinion, getting going was far preferable to hanging around. There was nothing more that needed to be discussed and he was looking forward to seeing this market. Danger was irrelevant, with his intimidating appearance and venomous spit, he was certain he could handle himself, and if things got too rough...he could always go full snake and hide under a rock. Whatever, he'd figure that out when he came to it.
"So...lead the way, I guess?"
((To be continued in the Market?))
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