Mingling at the Bazaar

[cityship]

Next to the Mall Hotel, a large bazaar sprawled out through the streets. Food stalls, jewelery stalls, plastic surgery stalls...might want to stay away from that last one. But since the bizaar was close by, it served as a good place for the crew to meet up and start their exploration of XaXing.

[[ooc: This is just a general mingling post guys, so jump in and start threads, tag into other people's, whatever you want!]]

Comments

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

The very first thing was taking care of business, taking advantage of strength, a bag of holding, and pooled resources to get more meat and booze for Kang's bar. No charge for any of it, including flinging money at Kang. Just having meat and booze is totally worth it.

He saved some money, with a few things he still needs to find. Maybe a present or two if something jumps out at him. Mostly though, he needs his own tunes. No question. There is a severe and tragic lack of Thunderstruck in his life. AC/DC, Megadeth, Joan Jett, just something metal. Something to play it on with a rechargeable or solar battery - also a necessity. And then there's SoCo. He can replace the canteen of holding given time and ritual. He cannot make his own whiskey currently, which means buying enough to last til Howard figures it out.

Navigating a strange city isn't a problem. Spending some time focusing on attuning himself to the surroundings through a bit of Bone Gnawer mojo, and taking some time to use a little more scrounging mojo, he figures he's at least going the right direction.

Luckily, he'd found someone back at the ship who seemed to know her way around talking to people, including merchants, and had a better head for words and math than him - which wasn't hard.

"Alright, I think I can find my way around here. Got a few things I need, but there's no hurry. If you want to tell me what it is you're searching for, I might be some help."

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"Not very many things, really," Inara replied. "Some fabrics. Some massage oils. Incense, if this world has any. Candles. Really, the usual." Basically, things that could make her shuttle on Serenity feel like home, and things she could use, should she decide to pick up any clients while on Stacy. "Just the usual sort of thing."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

All pretty general, nothing specific to get a solid lock on one way, but vague enough, attunement could probably help lead him the right direction. That, and a really good sense of smell in a couple of those cases.

"Candles, incense, oils... the usual? You one of those new-agey masseuse types?"

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

A mysterious smile graced Inara's face at the question. "Something like that," she said, nodding her head. "Well, perhaps without the new age label. I'm not quite sure what that means."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

"Which is the point where I can't help but ask what kind of masseuse you are." Genuinely curious now, go figure. "But, new age is a thing from my world, never quite got it myself, but some of my allies used to be into it before most of the movement kind'a died out a bunch of years back." Along with an awful lot of the Children of Gaia in general when the San Francisco and New York caerns fell.

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"I'm not a masseuse," Inara said after a moment. "I'm a Companion." Which Chase might notice sounds like a slightly more pleasant term for "escort". There is, of course, a large amount of difference between the escorts that may have existed on Chase's world - if indeed there were any - and the Companions from Inara's. "I'm trained in many different things - including the art of massage."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

Not exactly a term he understands, though he seems to get the gist. He knows high class prostitutes, anyway, and a couple of the Glass Walkers occasionally had high priced arm candy.

"Ahh, good deal. And... damned good art to be trained in."

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"It is," Inara agrees. "People need relaxation - and someone to connect with. Someone who can listen, who understands, and who can guide them. They don't always find that at home." She walks past a vendor hawking something that she doesn't want. Fruits shouldn't smell like that. "Besides, I've always been a people person."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

"And in a situation like this, people could use some comfort. Pulled away from the familiar and all." he curls up his nose a bit at the fruit. Sometimes superhuman senses suck, they really do. "So, I know no one uses money and all, but out of curiosity, you looking at going back into business?"

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"I imagine I am, yes," Inara said, without a moment of hesitation. "I've yet to decide how any of it will work. When I was renting a shuttle on Serenity, I had made a deal with the Captain stating that I wouldn't take any of his crew as clients." She smiled at a merchant's daughter who waved brightly at her. "I'd imagine that the situation aboard Stacy in regards to that will be quite different."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

He considers that a moment, then nods. "Yeah, not taking on any of the crew would be an issue and all. And, predictable and all, I know, I'd love to find out how it all works and all... but that said, without money limiting it, still ought to be your call who gets in. Two suggestions - talk to Kang. He looks out for his serving girls, and there might be space adjacent to the bar. Second, if anyone hassles you or gives you shit, let me know. My wife was a dancer, I did some bouncing, and dealt with problems at clubs before."

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"That's the good thing about being a registered Companion, versus not being one. We're allowed to choose our clients - and we're allowed to deny those who we'd rather not deal with. It's all a very legalized process." She brushed back a lock of hair. "I'm considering opening up shop on the shuttle again. I've conducted business there, and it's the closest thing I have to home, so it feels right." Besides, that way, she could have full say on how she was decorating the place, and complete privacy. Not that she didn't trust Kang - though she hadn't really met him yet. "Having said that, though, I do believe a chat with Kang is in order." Inara nodded her head, touched by that last thing that Chase said. "I appreciate that, Chase. It means a lot."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

"My ex-wife was a teen prostitute before we met. My wife is a dancer. I got a soft spot for beautiful women in the service industry. Also, you might want to talk to Nima. I think you two would get along great."

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"Nima?" Inara asked. "I don't believe I'm familiar with the name or the person." Which shouldn't really have been all that surprising, considering that Inara was still new. "You'll have to introduce us, sometime."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

"Trust me, that'd be my pleasure. She's something called an airbender from a temple... but small, reclusive population, some folks have to help keep up relaxation, and population. She was one of those, and pretty damned happy about it. I'll introduce you two first chance I get."

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

The words 'from a temple' perked Inara's interest. She was a devout Buddhist herself, and had once been in line to be he Priestess of a Companion Temple. This was, of course, before she'd escaped to see the Outer Rim. "That would be appreciated, Chase. You've truly been very accommodating. Thank you, for that."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

"Well, told'ja some about my past. That, and I can be real accomodatin' for a pretty woman. Besides, you're helping me out here too."

[the-companion.livejournal.com]

"I suppose I am," Inara smiled. "But you were quite selfless in the hallway earlier, trying to help everyone to where they needed to be. It was charming, and I wanted to get to know you better."

[j-y-d.livejournal.com]

He shrugs casually. "Stuff like this... ain't so traumatizing. My world has been on the edge of destruction for decades now, and we knew it. Outnumbers thousands to one, fighting guerilla war to save everything... seemed like most people were having a tougher time of it." And some honesty added, and an attempt to not sound entirely noble. That just wouldn't be him. "Plus, you know, naked chicks. But hey, far be it from me to turn you down. I'd love to get to know you better."