<p>Diom wasn't that strange a sight on the streets of this particular city, that much he knew for sure. The people who lived in this area had long since gotten used to his covered eyes and mouth, and the way he clung to the wall as he walked; he thought they'd even gotten used to the Aquabat who didn't swim. What they weren't used to was him coming out on one of his <em>bad</em> days. Coughing beneath the scarf he had wrapped around his mouth and nose, Diomfrar felt his way blindly through the empty streets, leaning heavily on the walls of buildings he passed. These were back alleyways, streets that weren't traveled often; he used them now to avoid bumping into people, or falling to the ground. He was on his way to pick up another shipment of cloth, the furry kind he used for his special "beat up bears" line. They came super-sized, and looking worn enough to have been pre-loved. It made them less suspicious, when he sold them as cheap as he did; no one had found out yet, and he planned on keeping it that way. After all, his store motto was <em>'A toy for every child'</em>, and if he sold them at the high price most hand-made toys went for, what would the poorer children get?</p> <p> </p> <p>The batch he was picking up fur for were going to a toy drive, for the kids from Aurius; when it had been destroyed, Diom had no idea. Someone should have contacted him sooner, though, and he would have worked around the clock to get them blankets and supplies, too. He was lucky enough to participate in the toy drive, and give some of his best work away for nothing at all. Diom smiled a little to himself at the thought, wondering what other world-news he'd missed in the time he'd been huddled in his workshop. Taking his hand off the wall for a brief moment to rub them together. It was Mia, close to the end of it, but Mia none the less; he didn't like coming out in the cold of this season. It froze him down to the bone.</p> <p> </p> <p>Reaching back to the wall he'd been following, he found not stone, as he'd felt before, but wood. His feet immediately stopped and he flattened his hand against the building, trying to remember where, from his mental map of the city, he was. There was supposed to be a turn somewhere around here...had he gone too far? How far? He could retrace his steps, he supposed, but by the time he remembered where he was he'd have missed the shipment. He only had a limited window to pick the crate up; he couldn't miss it.</p>
<p>Now and again Astald would feel a bit restless and he would close up shop and travel to other parts. This was one such stretch. On his back he wore an odd metal disc that hat not two but six straps. Two came over his shoulders the other four around his sides all six fixed in place to a smaller metal disc at the center of his chest. with a slighty convex center to it. The larger metal disc on his back had a much larger convex center looking very much like a metallic bubble.</p> <p>Walking the alleys he looked for materials as well as a place that was secluded enough to set up a temporary shop. He took a deep breath and looked up and around and considered trying to climb atop the buildings and get a better view of the lay of the land. He took several turns and was actually quite sure he took one too many and had no idea how to get back to the main street. He grumbled some, "Better find some place for food, might need some energy to find... oy someone there?" his large ears hearing a soft shuffling. He crained his neck a and turned a corner seeing a character that seemed more out of place than he was, "Everything alright?"</p>
<p>When he listened closely, he could hear footsteps, though they didn't make him any more sure of where he was, or where he was supposed to be. He was almost ready to pull down his scarf and search for the smell of sawdust and rust that always seemed to hang about in this district, but a voice stopped him; it was dangerous to uncover himself when there were people near by, he never knew what sickness he might have at the moment. He turned toward the sound, his ears twitching to catch the sound as he tightened his scarf with one hand. <strong>"Everything is fine here, if you don't count my lost way. I seem to have misplaced a wall, you see."</strong> He moved a few steps forward, his hand still tracing the wood next to him. He moved close enough so he wouldn't have to raise his voice much, but stopped there, more for the arden's own protection than any fear of strangers. <strong>"And you? Not many travel these paths, most who do are lost."</strong> The words made him smile some beneath his scarf, finding it funny that he was one of the few who came here to <em>avoid</em> being lost, and instead became more confused than those with sight could be.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>He tilted his head a bit and tugged at his scarf again, a nervous habit, before he offered a smile the other arden couldn't see. <strong>"My name is Diomfrar. Most people call me Diom."</strong> And then, because he could never help the pride he felt in his job, <strong>"I'm a toy maker."</strong></p>
<p>He nodded slowly and scuffed a foot over the ground, "heh... Yes... well I was doing a great job of keeping track of my turns while trying to find a place to set up a shop and some good places for materials."Astald was the observant sort and certain things just screamed out at him. He raised a hand and sort of waggled a finger in his direction, "what's with the scarf?" He leaned against the wood the aquabat was shuffling along, "good to meet you Diom, I'm Astald... wait... You're lost too? Don't you live here?"</p>
<p>Diomfrar nodded as the other arden explained his situation, tilting his head thoughtfully. <strong>"Well, if you're looking for materials, the warehouses a few blocks over are a good place to start--I could lead you there, if I find my turn again. And I own a shop of my own, and occasionally rent out the front room to others. If you don't mind a few kids running around, you're welcome to it."</strong> He offered, more than willing to help an arden in need. And a fellow, to boot; Diom couldn't help but wonder what he sold. Before he could ask the other man spoke again, and his hand went to his scarf and tugged it up again as it was mentioned, until it almost touched the cloth covering his eyes before it fell back into place on his muzzle. <strong>"I'm sick, heh. Almost always am...not sure what it is, figure it's best to just cover up and avoid breathing on people to prevent passing it on."</strong> If he were the malicious sort, he figured he'd go uncovered--and get in close contact with people. But Diom just wasn't like that.</p> <p> </p> <p>He bowed his head slightly as Astald introduced himself, giving a laugh that wanted to turn into a cough at the other man's surprise. He tapped the cloth over his eyes with a finger, his grin wide enough to be heard in his voice. <strong>"I'm blind as a rus, Mr. Astald. One step off the paths I know and I don't know how to get back."</strong> He explained, dropping his hand again and lifting the one on the wall to wave it a little. <strong>"My only guide. But it's an easy enough problem to fix, with a bit of help."</strong> He nodded in the direction he'd thought he'd come, though he wasn't sure if he was accurate--he could be gesturing to nothing. <strong>"Is that building there stone?"</strong></p>
<p>"Oh, sorry to hear it. It has to be rough being sick and all. You know there's doctors about. I could never afford one but I've heard of free clinics and that sort of think." He nodded slowly and looked around considering the offer it could work out, and it was convenient "I'm not sure, but I think I could handle the kids, just have to keep my tools and what not away from em. Warehouses sound promising, they usually throw out all sorts of things." he nodded and smirked it definitely had possibilities.</p> <p>Astald snapped out of his weighing of pros and cons and he looked at the building, "Sure is, cept someone stacked some sheets of wood on the side of it. You're standing on a couple that slid down. Does that help?" He took a deep breath and finally decided, "I'll tag along if you don't mind and I'll take a look at that front room you have."</p>
<p>Diom tilted his head as Astald spoke, slightly surprised; he'd never thought about going to a doctor. His pack hadn't been much for them, he supposed, and since the YPack healer couldn't do anything, he'd assumed no one else could, either. But free clinics...it was a thought. He might try it, some time; it was worth a shot, after all, to see if there was anything that could be done about...whatever was wrong with him. Probably nothing worse than a weak immune system, but he didn't even know that for sure. He drifted away from those thoughts as his companion spoke again, weighing the offer aloud, it seemed. Diom nodded along with him, figuring tools of any sort should probably stay out of tiny hands. He wasn't sure what Astald did, as he hadn't stated his trade as well as his name as Diom had, but the Aquabat was sure it wasn't dangerous; if it was he wouldn't want to be around kids at all, of course. Unless he had a complete disregard for their safety...but he didn't strike Diom as that kind of arden, either.</p> <p> </p> <p>Diom listened once again to his words, knocking lightly on the apparent wooden sheet he'd been standing next to--it rang with a hollow sound that a wooden building, as he'd assumed it was, wouldn't. He made a humming sound, turning to investigate it further with his hands, and found that if he'd just taken a few more steps he would have found the stone again--as well as his turn. More comfortable with his hand on the familiar, grained and rocky surface, Diom stood for several minutes with his hand flat against the wall, only pulled out of his re-centering by Astald speaking yet again. He turned slightly toward the sound, his ears twitching. <b>"Of course, of course. This way to the warehouses, then."</b> Diomfrar smiled slightly, tugging his scarf up one last time before setting off at a brisque pace.</p>
<p>Astald nodded slowly and followed after the blind arden and kept his eyes open beneath his hood. He made a mental note of the wood figuring it would be good for some support or framing."Ahh about the warehouses, what sort of 'dragons run them? They good materials? High prices?" he learned a while back to get enough information about those he would potentially do buisness with, ESPECIALLY purchasing from them. He recalled some fronima batteries he bought a while ago, before it started to go all crazy. The exploded in some devices, cost a customer a couple of digits. He shuddered at the thought of what they might do now.</p> <p>As he took in every twist and turn and a few minor landmarks he thought outloud, "Perhaps, given the right pieces I could create something that would help guide you. Not to say that you aren't able, but that little incident back there is an example. It could be programed with your starting and ending locations and then the path you take via data points. If you were to pass one it would beep softly if you were heading the completely wrong direction it would sound a pulsing sound..." he nodded as the pieces fell into place in his mind, "What do you think of that?"</p>
<p><strong>"Oh, they're good thills. Mostly handle shipments of mine, so I don't have to go to the docks every week, but that's a personal favor. Their prices aren't too bad, either, or so I've heard. I wouldn't know, really; I barter, or exchange favours. It's a good system."</strong> Diom answered, taking another few turns before he felt the railing he was looking for, and started climbing up a ramp. <strong>"They import the finest quality I can find, too; I don't know much about what you're looking for, though. You'll have to ask."</strong> He explained further, before the ramp beneath his feet leveled out, and the sound of work came into his ears. He took a few steps, his hands held out blindly, before someone grabbed hold of them, and he smiled brightly at the familiar grip. <em>"Diom! I was wondering when you'd get here. Come, I've a chair for you while we grab your crates."</em> Ayanna, the thill who usually handled his shipments, lead him off to the side, and he grabbed hold of the chair to keep himself stationary and upright; that was the reason it was there. He didn't understand why she'd said "crates", when he'd only come for one, but she had the regular habit of surprising him with new materials, so he didn't think much on it.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>"Ayanna, I've brought an arden interested in your wares--he may be occupying my front room for a bit. Treat him as a friend, yes?"</strong> She was usually a harsh haggler, but Diom had known her for a long time, and he could usually extend their good relationship to people he brought with him. <em>"Of course, Diom. I'll go and load your shipment and then show him around, how's that?"</em> He heard her walking away before he could answer, but that was alright; she did that frequently, too. His ears twitched slightly toward Astald as he spoke, and he felt his chest tighten in surprise at the offer he made. A navigational system... <strong>"That sounds wonderful, in truth. I've often wished to visit new places in the city, and walk down the main streets, and I can't do it like this. But...it would be terribly expensive, wouldn't it? I'd hardly be able to afford such a device..." He said slowly, thinking of some way he could make payments, or barter...he doubted toys would be useful to a man who created such things.</strong></p>
<p>Astald looked around the area performing his usual chin tap with his index finger. He always looked for loose parts, scrap heaps and gutted machenery hulks. When Diom began speaking about him he looked over and checked his hood again keeping it pulled safely over his head. He watched the thill leave and turned to his guide, "Payment... well I was thinking that some rent and what not could be covered," he folded his arms and shrugged, "If not we can work something out. I think it would be fun to build." he chuckled softly, "Not to say that it would be perfect but I can usually work out the bugs after a few runs. You do have electrical outlets apart from machina jacks... I could make it run off of, well fronima... but I'd prefer not to unless you really wanted it. Had a couple incedents with that sort semi-recently." he rubbed his hands a bit as if rubbing off a singe.</p> <p>He continued to look around, "You wouldn't happen to know of a scrapyard around would you, Diomfrar? It would be almost as useful as warehouse connections honestly. Most of what I build is from scrap anyhow."</p>
<p>[ooc: Sorry about the wait on this!]</p> <p> </p> <p>Diom could barely feel the arden thinking over the rush of emotions and the commotion of the warehouse workers down in the yard. But soon his voice lifted above the noise, and Diom nodded thoughtfully, having thought along those lines himself. <strong>"I've had boarders for free before; for a few seasons, at least, you're welcome to stay without rent."</strong> He offered, tapping his fingers on the chair as he thought of other ways he could possibly pay for a navigational system. Rent for a few seasons was a couple thousand, though, and that should be more than enough for something like that, wouldn't it? Diom wondered. He wasn't much good at pricing, he was always trying to sell his merchandise cheaper than it was worth, so he wasn't exactly sure. Astald went on to explain some of the mechanics of it, such as what it would run on--which was no doubt going to be magicka, since that was the only thing Diom was comfortable with machina running on. Fronima was also a possibility, but Diom was wary of it--the only connection he had to Fronima was his empathic ability; he'd never been able to command it, as the kinetics of the world could. Diomfrar felt much more comfortable with magicka, even if it <em>had</em> been banned earlier that year.</p> <p> </p> <p>As the other arden mentioned a scrapyard, the cogs of his mind turning slowly as he tried to remember such a place. <strong>"Check a corner of the warehouse, or behind it. There might be shipments that weren't picked up, or scraps of things, as you'd normally find." </strong>Diom tilted his head toward where he knew the building to be, smiling slightly. <strong>"Feel free to go and check things out, I'm alright here. I never go much farther than this."</strong> Diom said, folding his hands in his lap and settling to wait among the noise for someone to come get him.</p>
<p>Astald eyed the arden as he spoke about looking around the warehouses and after unsuccessfully reading any other intent he spoke with as little scepticisim as he could manage, "It's my experience, Diom, that 'dragons don't appreciate strangers poking about their business, confident thills especially." he chuckled and glanced the way of the one who had been speaking with them moments ago, "But since you know the area better I suppose I can take your word for it." He went to step away and paused looking back, "and I fully intend to pay my way Diomfrar, I'm no free loader."With that he quickly made his way behind the warehouses and began peeking into crates, rummaging through piles and peering into dumpsters. It was like his hatchday celebration, or like what he heard they should be like with presents of things he'd wanted for years or wanted in better condition, "Have I died and gone to Fronima?" he laughed and continued his little scouting trip. During this process his hood fell back to show his head and tall ears and blue eyes that some said glowed now and again like they too were infused as his tattoos were.</p>
<p>It wasn't long after Astald left, leaving Diom with a few new perceptions about the male, that Ayanna returned with his crates, loaded onto a cart that she would help him roll back to the shop--home. <em>"Where'd your friend go?"</em> She asked as she opened his shipments, letting him feel the high-quality woven "fur" he usually got. He made sure it was the right texture, feeling his way slowly around the crate to the label. By now the people he dealt with knew he was blind, and he found the label printed in a triangle, which meant this particular crate was a multitude of cooler colors, which meant blues, dark greens and purples, mostly. <strong>"He's searching through the scrapyard at the moment. He said he'd build me a navigational system, I believe he may be looking for parts to it...or to something else. He appears to be an inventor."</strong> Diom answered the thill absently, his hands straying to another, unfamiliar crate. Was this the new product she'd mentioned? She hadn't opened it, though, so he was left feeling the normal, rectangular label curiously, tempted to try and crack it open when her back was turned.</p> <p> </p> <p><em>"Oh, well, that's fine, then. Scrapyard's free and all; better to get the stuff out of our way."</em> He heard Ayanna say, probably with a shrug, before his hands were slapped away from the new crate. <em>"No peaking, either, Diomfrar! We'll open it when we're in the shop. Tell your friend he's free to look around the warehouse as well, see if there's anything that we usually ship in that he's interested in, and to check out the list of dealers on the front door. It'll help him more; I'm going on ahead to get all this unpacked. I'll open a bottle of Iujrujuh for you, too, it'll help you relax. You should take the day off, and get started on your toy drive tomorrow."</em> Ayanna "suggested", though her tone was far too demanding to one who'd known her so long--Diom knew to take it as an order. She'd probably be staying the night, too, to make sure he didn't get anxious. <strong>"Yes, Ayanna. You've got your key?"</strong> She gave a harumph that could mean anything, though he dearly hoped it meant "yes" and that she wasn't going to break into his shop--again--before he heard her walking away.</p> <p> </p> <p>Diom's fingers tingled as he thought again about the mysterious fourth crate, trying to identify the material it'd been built with. A lot of people thought the crate itself was nothing, but the material it was made of could tell you a lot of things...like where it came from. And Diom, curious as he was, liked to know everything about his shipments.</p>
<p>Astald came walking back the disc that was on his back now walked behind him holding a good number of small components, wires, and a great many other odds and ends. It tick-it-tee-ticked to a stop and he looked around now, "Diom? You're the best... that scrap heap out back is like gold!" he sounded rather excited. His ears swivled and he heard Ayanna walking in the distance, "Just miss her agian? She's got a nice thing going here?" he looked at the crates, "Oh, this what you were coming here to get?" he peeked inside the ones that were opened, "Say, I think I've seen some pretty high end toys made of this stuff before... you must have paid a fortune for it!" he looked back at Diom nodding slowly, "You must do very, very well at your toymaking."</p>
<p><strong>"I'm glad I could be of assistance. "</strong> Diom answered sincerely. <strong>"Ayanna instructed me to tell you that there is a list of dealers on the door of the warehouse, if you know of them or are interested in their wares. I myself will return home, to begin working."</strong> He smiled slightly, and then listed directions to get to the toyshop, before rising and turning to follow the far-off sounds of Ayanna wheeling the crates away. His ears swiveled back toward Astald as he spoke, a smile playing on his hidden maw. He reached blindly for the other arden's shoulder. <strong>"Only the best for the children, yes? I thank you for the gracious compliment, but really I'm just like any other toymaker. I don't make anymore money than they do."</strong> He paused, beginning his walk as he mused over that fact before adding, <strong>"Less, most likely."</strong> That didn't stop him from paying a fortune--albeit a small one--for the best materials on the market, including the tools of the trade. Those were probably worth more than the material, but there were certain places that would charge less for the same quality; Ayanna's warehouses, for example, had cut their prices by nearly two thirds of the original price, taking "competitive marketing" to a whole new level. If they hadn't done that, Diom probably would have never picked himself up off the ground--and his business wouldn't be what it was today. He sent thanks, again, to whichever god had seen fit to bless him with his friends.</p> <p>It wasn't long after he'd left before he heard the sign for his shop clanking lightly in the wind, and he smiled, lifting his head slightly and picking up his pace. The door was unlocked, as he'd left it, and he stepped inside, turning toward the coat hanger on the wall and beginning to unwind the bandage around his eyes. As the cloth fell away, and he blinked to clear the watery film from his eyes. The room was kept purposefully dark, so that he could take the cloth off, and he closed the door so that it remained so, sighing slightly in relief as his eyes stopped their ache. The vague shadows of his furniture came into view, and he began making his way across the room to the hall on the right, finding the crates placed on a sturdy table to the side. He delved into them, pulling the yards of faux-fur out as well as many spools of thread, feeling them carefully with sensitive fingertips. <strong>"These will do quite nicely."</strong> He murmured softly to himself, and put them back, his hands finally straying to the unfamiliar wood of his "surprise", finding the crate open and waiting for him.</p> <p>Whatever it was, it was wrapped in thick leather hide; he lifted one of the small packages, carefully unwrapping it, and found beneath his fingers not soft fur or wool or cotten, but glass--glass and metal. He fingered it curiously, and saw a glint of color--red. And, as he unwound more packages, green and blue and yellow, as well, and pink and purple; all the colors he could imagine, blown into glass and hung delicately from metal rods.</p> <p><em>"They're to create mobiles."</em> His ears swiveled slightly at the sound of Ayanna's voice, and he looked in quiet wonder at the delicate works of art he held in his hands. Oh, yes; these would do very well. <em>"I'll go look for your friend. There's a drink for you in the study." </em>Diom didn't answer, even as he heard her walk out the door, shutting it with a soft jingle from the bell behind her. Mobiles...a toy for every child. Another step forward in his mission.</p>
<p>The arden watched the other depart, leaving him slightly perplexed. His services always went to the 'dragon who could pay his fees whatever they might be. Usually his prices were far below what one would expect from a commercial brand and just as good if not a little better than what would be his competition if he were a legitimate business. He shrugged and made his way to the door after sitting a moment pondering the odd Aquabat and his friend. After parusing the list of vendors he made mental notes of a few then raised his hood again and began to make his way back to the toymaker's shop with a rather interesting little 'pet' as it might appear, following him closely.</p> <p>He had to stop a couple of times to go over the directions again but eventually he came along the correct street. He looked up and saw a sign and nodded hoping it was the right toymaker's shop. Looking down he noticd a familiar thill outside. Moving his shoulders a little he walked up slowly and spoke a little on the soft side, "I'm either in the right place or you deal with too many toymakers in this area." Astald's creation came to a halt when he did causing a few of the items to jostle slightly and rattle to a stop, "but serioiusly... I am in the right place right?" he looked over the storefront again and then to either end of the street as he mentally went over the directions again.</p>
