Meeting the Landers: Kitty Candy

Within Dun Loireag, it isn't too easy to find one's way around. The various peaked towers, stairwells, hallways and bridges that span the region means one really has to have a good idea of where one wants to go. Sure, the Main Square isn't an issue. Leaving and exiting when dealing with this city is fairly straight forward. But finding Jun's shop is something else entirely.

Shaskur has to deal with asking various Landers to help point her the right way, until she finally finds it. It's in a shopping alley a few 'streets' behind the main square, off in a corner, with a huge fall-off right outside of the shop. There's various 'fans' that capture wind in this area that seem to be used to capture energy from the winds here, but who knows where that energy goes to, there don't appear to be any easily visible cables.

There's a blacksmith, and a small item shop here. Sitting a bit to the side of that is a shop with a counter facing towards the street. One doesn't 'walk into' this shop. Instead, one shops with the woman at the counter.

White and blues, with a bit of rustic brown. The peaceful looking woman smiles at the youth as she approaches and reaches down into her basket from behind the counter, and offers her a small wax-paper wrapped thing. "Kitty-Candy?" She asks her.

From a nearby tower Shaskur rests as she watches the street in front of the shop counter, unable to find a perch that would allow her to view into the shop this was the best she could do. Covered from head to foot in black she crouches down while darkness clings to her, absorbing the light around her. All the time and effort that she has put in, and all she has is a candy as a clue. A candy that seems to only be sold from this specific shop.

Shaskur has been carefully watching the shop now off and on for a couple days, trying to gleam some greater understanding, but it really just seems to be a simple shop. One that sells candy. If she was going to get any further in her investigation to track down one of these.. skilled individuals.. to train under, it seemed she would have to go be social. She wasn't necessarily bad at it, but the anxiety leading up to these kinds of things was always unpleasant. Taking in a breath and letting it out slowly, she moves back and into the tower she is on to climb down to the street level.

A few minutes later she was walking up to the counter of the store. Trying to appear more friendly she had let her cloak hood down and also lowered her facemask. It was as far as she was going to go though, her cloak mostly concealing her black leathers, tools, and daggers. As she moves up to the counter she tries to give the shopkeeper a warm smile, even if it clearly shows her fangs. "Hi there!" She pulls out the Kitty Candy from her inventory and sets it down on the counter, "A.. friend.. of mine gave me this candy. I don't suppose you happen to sell them here?"

The warm looking shopkeeper seems to just take this 'look' of Shaskur's in stride. They're an adventurer, of course they're wearing infiltration equipment! That's just absolutely normal. After all, Adventurers are known for being absolutely unreasonable in their choice of gear in the middle of metropolitan areas.

She tilts her head to the side, her eyes almost seeming like slits as she smiles. "I do! They're our most popular product." The woman answers Shaskur, before opening her eyes again and putting one into her hand. "I recommend actually eating them though. They're not for just keeping in pockets." She adds to that.

"What can I do for you?" The bright lady inquires with her, leaning in just a little. A few people moving past behind Shaskur, though she may note that nobody really walks within earshot. Especially with the loud noise of the blacksmith ringing over what Jun is saying.

At the comment Shaskur looks down at the candy which has been placed in her hand, considers a moment, and pops it into her mouth and starts to suck on the hard candy. Oh, it was pretty good! A pleasant sweet fruity taste with just a hint of tang that complemented it.

With a mental shake she brings herself back to the point at hand. Finding training. She looks both ways down the street, making sure people are out of earshot - probably not the most subtle of ways to check but it seems people are minding their own business which is fortunate.

Turning back to Jun she leans in a little as she looks the women in the eyes, "Look, there are some really skilled Landers I'm trying to find. One left me this candy. He also wore a hoodie with cat ears. I want to learn from and become more like them, but I just can't seem to get in more then a few words if they even give me that chance." She looks down at her hands that are clenched on the counter and takes a quick moment to relax them and look back up. "Do you know how I can contact them? I have skills, I used to be really good, and I'm getting there again. It's just.. I'm trying hard to fit in. To make this world my home. I'm trying to get better at what I do, I just need a little help." A somewhat pleading and almost hopeful look on her face.

Normally Shaskur wouldn't show quite so much emotion, but she has been at this for literal months. Every step of the way proved to her how she had a long way yet to go. And now this shop seemed like her only clue. It was like a lifeline.

It's also shaped like a kitty's head! Which is why it is Kitty Candy.

Jun just smiles at the young woman before her, touching one hand to her cheek. She seems to be glad that Jun is enjoying the candy. "It tastes good, doens't it?" She urges for what appears to be some ego-stroking. After all, she seems to be the one who makes these candies.

"Oh, I see. Well, yes. But you shouldn't talk about such people out in public." The young woman remarks to Shaskur. "You can contact them through me." She then adds to that. She doesn't add anything more to that. "What is it you'd like from them? Making this world your home is a beautiful sentiment, but do you have a plan on how to start?"

As Jun questions how the candy is Shaskur attention is brought back to the cute sugary item, and she nods, "Yeah, this is actually really yummy." And then considering as she sucks on the candy, "I know the owner of the Isekai Ryokan, it's a new restaurant, I bet he would buy and resell these if you were looking for that kind of business? That business stuff isn't my things, but I will buy a couple more for myself while I'm here." She manages to say around the candy with a bit of a grin.

Then nodding as Jun explains she shouldn't talk about them in public, that makes sense, and her face becomes more serious. "I'm a Slayer by class and Thief by profession. I'm pretty good in a straight fight or sneaking in the dark, but.." and she pauses looking off to the side slightly as she considers her words. "I'm not really living it. I need training. To learn how to really live it." She shakes her head slightly and looks back with a sigh. "I'm not the best at explaining, but does that make sense?"

"No, I'm not looking for resale on them. I'd like to keep them in this shop." The woman answers Shaskur at her recommendation, and just continues to lean over the counter: watching her, considering her. She then leans back and takes a few from her basket, and lays them out. "Just a few copper." She counts them out and gives Shaskur a reasonably price.

The woman then nods. "Yes. Then let me give you the first lesson. The best thing to do when you are trying to exemplify this, is to know that Silence is the best thing spoken." A pause, before she continues on; "So only what needs to be said, no more, no less. Let people guess at the meaning, and only make yourself clear when you must. Do not give things, let them come for the answer." Jun explains.

Looking down at the candies, Shaskur counts out the coin and passes it over to Jun. "Thanks!" She gives a toothy fanged smile and collects the candies. She might become a regularly customer, they were a pretty good price.

Shaskur then straightens just slightly as Jun begins her explanation and then she tilts her head in thought and taps her lip a few times before replying. "I- I think I understand what you mean." Shaskur then takes another closer look at Jun, finally clueing in that this shopkeeper was more than what she first seemed. "I will try." She says simple and then seems to be considering her next words carefully. "What can I do to receive my next lesson?" she finally settles on.

Jun takes the coins, counting them, and then putting the money away in the equivalent of a till. The woman the nturns back to the thiefy lady on the other side of her counter.

Her elbow touches the counter, hand to her cheek, body leaning forward as she considers her once again. "Trying gets you killed. Just do." She tells the Adventurer before her, while tilting her head just a little to the side.

"Receive your next lesson? Hmm... well, I suppose you could figure out what is going on with these 'Waves' of monsters and those Hourglasses. I hear the Adventurers are the cause of them. If you could stop them, that would be wonderful for your chances to live in this world permanently, no?"

Shaskur slowly nods, and can't help but get a sense of an old movie where a young man was seeking training on a faraway planet from a short, tongue twisting green fellow. But then the conversation turns to the hourglasses and Shaskur narrows her eyes slightly, more in thought then anything directed at Jun. "Yes, the rumors going around are that defeating a floor boss in the Aincraid tower causes a wave or what some are calling a calamity." And then she hums, "This is something I can do."

At the comment about living in this world permanently Shaskur shrugs, "We are here permanently already. Those people climbing the tower are just trying to cling to something, but no way it would lead anywhere else but here still. Now it is starting to look like it only causes trouble.."

Shaskur then grins broadly, "Thank you" and the she looks puzzled. "Er, oh, I don't think we did introductions yet?" and then she tilts her head again considering, "And is there any way I can contact you from a distance if I find something out?"

"Excellent." Jun simply remarks to Shaskur as she says she can totally do 'this thing'. The woman nods her head in agreement with her. "And please keep me informed. So I can communicate it back to the people in the feline hoods."

The woman then leans back up from the counter, but keeps close to it; not wanting words to drift too far. "I am afraid us Landers can't seem to communicate across such distances, like you Adventurers can. Just come here if you want to talk to me." She propose, before bowing her head.

"Jun Miruno." She then introduces herself. "It's not often an Adventurer asks for our names."

Shaskur gives Jun a bit of a side-eye when she mentions that Landers have no for of distanced communication. "Is that so?" She questions and gives a bit of a hum. "Well, for now I plan to either come back here myself, or maybe pass a message along through an acquaintance. As I mentioned before I know the Adventurer who owns the Isekai Ryokan, his name is Hifumi. He is a pretty talented chef, I'd recommend the place. Still, if you want to pass a message along quickly to me you or someone could ask him. I might also ask him to pass along something as well if I'm out of town. I haven't known him long, but so far he seems like the good sort."

Then beaming a smile she says, "I'm Shaskur. It was nice meeting you." She pops another Kitty Candy into her mouth, "And thanks for the yummy treats. Look forward to hearing news from me soon!" and after listening to any last words she raises her hand in her typical farewell, "Talk to you later, Jun!" and wanders back into town.

"Maybe in time, I can get you in contact with some other stores that also have contact. But I'll have to get information gathered and checked out first." The woman answers Jun. "But if you want to send other people to pass along messages, so be it." The woman remarks. "Assuming your people can find me." She then adds with a little smirk on her face.

The woman then nods her head. "Nice meeting you as well. Be in touch."