inclementia | voice testing

[It's a lovely day in Whitestone and Vex is looking for a terrible tinkerer. Fortunately, tinkerers are easy to track, especially when they haven't been seen for breakfast or lunch, and their chambers have a suspiciously un-slept in bed.

So, she does what any ranger worth her salt would do and wanders her way down to Percival's lab, giving a heavy knock on the door once she arrives.]

Percy, darling? Are you in there?

[It's a long few minutes before there's the sounds of the multiple locks being undone. And then the door cracking and Percy's head appearing, hair a bit tousled and face smeared with. The many different things he was working with (some grease, some ash smudge. Other chemical problems.) He looks a bit owlishly at her.]

Yes? Is something the matter?

[Oh, that's a look, isn't it? It's a shame that it's actually a good one on him. But that's not something to linger on at the moment. Instead, Vex arches an eyebrow at him in question.]

Aside from the state of you? Have you been down here all night?

All night? No. No, not-

What time is it?

Tell me, what time do you think it is, Percy?

[He stares at her a little too long trying to guess. He's smart, he can see how long her hair's been done and how worked her hands are, but he is not that wise.]

I would guess close to late evening.

[Fortunately Vex knows how to remain unflappable under that kind of scrutiny, not that she minds it from Percy. She gives him a click of her tongue, teasing just a little.]

I'm afraid you're either too late or much too early with that guess. Try closer to midday.

Oh. Hm.

[He looks back into his workshop for a moment to something unseen by her and then back.]

So is something wrong, then?

Nothing's wrong. I just thought I might stop by to ask a favor. And because the fact that you haven't greviously injured yourself means that Scanlan owes me five gold.

[The sly upturn of his lips is golden.]

Oh, well that I can assist with. Scanlan owing you gold, I mean.

But what favor do you need, darling?

[She knew he'd get a kick out of that one. Worth it in every sense of the word.]

You aren't busy with whatever mystery you've got hiding inside there, are you? I wanted to know if you'd could make me a few new arrows.

Oh. Yes, that I can do. Anything specific you'd like?

[He has an idea to help Vex get possibly even more gold out of Scanlan, but he'll hold onto that for later.]

[Was he dodging her first question? Maybe something to hold onto until she's got what she wants.]

Unless you've had a fit of inspiration on something new, I wouldn't mind if you could spare the black powder for some of the exploding ones.

For you? I can manage that. I can start work on those for you - you said midday? After lunch, then.

[He will actually step out of his lab though - clothes also a bit dirtied from whatever he was working on.]

I'll meet you and the others downstairs.

[If he's stepping away, then she's trying to peek at whatever's behind him. In a nonchalant sort of way.]

You're a little late to lunch, darling, but I'll still keep you company.

[Yeah, he's closing the door before she can. But he's starting to get his waistcoat off.]

Oh? Unfortunate, I have to go get cleaned up before I get in the kitchen to fix myself lunch, don't I? And what would Scanlan think of me not only missing limbs but appearing in clean clothes as well? I think that'd be worth at least ten gold, don't you?

[Well, it seems like she'll have to find out what's going on inside there some other way. She shifts her focus to Percy, brushing his shoulders off.]

I don't think we'd expect anything less from you. But I can make ten gold from that, easily.

Then I think I'll go for a quick rinse and change clothes.

I'll see you there.

[Gives him a wink, then heads off.]

[Mm yep watching her go...

And heading up to his own room to get cleaned up. He'll come downstairs a bit later with his hair washed and everything! So thorough for Vex to get her money.]

There now.

[Meanwhile Vex has occupied herself with bantering with a horny gnome. As soon as Percy appears, looking much better, she holds out her hand to collect her reward before Scanlan makes a strategic exit.]

You're looking lovely, dear. Presentable and sophisticated.

Hm, well, I do try. Thank you.

I do hope you got your owed winnings.

[Shows him the neat little pile of coins she's collected.]

You know me, I would never leave winnings on the table.

[He leans against the table, arms crossed with a smile to look at it.]

Oh good. I would have hated to have gone through the trouble for him to weasel out of it.

Do you really think that I'd let him get away with that? Have some faith in me, darling.

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should've been "not only not missing limbs" but yknow what

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