socialcapital | [ JACKSON HEART ]

"Hard to be unluckier than he was for sure. Anyway, why are you snooping around back here?"

Ah. Just lookin' for Mr. Asp. I need his help resolvin' somethin'.

He makes a 'phew' face.

"Dunno if I'd get involved with him if I were you, between the two of us. But if you go looking he'll probably find you."

It won't be as big a deal as a whole involvement! I'll take a look around then, thanks.

"Not to sound too paranoid, but he probably already knows you're here and looking. So just keep an eye out."

Oooh, well if he drops by here first you can tell him I've got a flower for him. I'm Loren.

"Sure. I'm Issei. Don't get into trouble."

[👍] I'm good at runnin'!

[Popping back out of the tent and putting his Blessing back up]

The street is as you left it, full of the poor and starving, practically lifeless for such a big city.

[Loosens the Blessing so that his sound can get through, but he remains invisible. He will take another pass through the market, paying a bit more attention to anything else that seems out of place.]

There's a little bird, a Japanese Waxwing, fluttering from the tent to the sleepy merchant's stall and back again. It wouldn't seem especially out of place except for... well, little birds don't tend to stick around long in famine cities.

[Huh. Following the bird to the merchant's stall. What's he even selling?]

It looks like various tea leaves today, which, while they all look and smell honestly pretty good? Are not food. The quality is there, but the demand (and the customer money) is simply not around to make up for it. He doesn't seem to mind though.

Just to get it out of the way: he doesn't look like Jackson. He's about three inches shorter, with brown hair, grey eyes and freckles.

As Loren approaches he blinks sleepily.

"Good mornin'... ... afternoon, sir. You from outta town?"

[didn’t drop invisibility yet, but answers] Way way outta town.

He is sleeby enough that he hasn't fully opened his eyes!!!

"Figures. You got money?"

Nope. Though this maybe isn’t the town ta set up in if ya planned ta be makin' money.

Edited 2026-01-30 20:46 (UTC)

"Yeah, well, it all went to shit after I got here, and I'd set everything up already. I'm moving out as soon as there's a calm day."

[Crossing his arms on the counter of the stall, expanding the field so the merchant is inside and can see him. Bird is outside tho.]

Oh, I caught ya just in time then!

He looks up and wakes up the rest of the way, stretching.

"Yeah?"

Well, I’m not planning’ ta be here long myself if I can help it. I was told if I went pokin' around Mr. Asp might come find me, but it really didn’t sound like there was a lot I’d want ta see here, considerin’ the state of things, so…

Ya think there’s any chance I’ll be able ta cross paths with him?

"Mr. Asp of the wanted posters? That Mr. Asp?"

That one!

"Beggin' your pardon, but that sounds like a mighty good way to end up enthralled or some such thing."

Would he do that? Just enthrall a guy with literally no money?

"Who can tell how a demon thinks?"

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