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MARKET SQUARE - LATE EVENING
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Strix had gotten some benefit from the entire saga with the power supply, the general townsfolk had upgraded him from 'Dangerous Loon' to 'Dangerous Loon who occasionally had some good ideas', which meant that when he was showing off his new wares, he would actually get some attention now! Mostly of the 'Hey, will this blow up!', and other such jokes that everyone thought was funny when they thought it up. In this case, there had been some minor commotion, and a small fire which had been put out quickly, and now Strix was wrapping up for the day, slowly packing up. He seemed fairly not-annoyed at events, and indeed was only lowkey grumbling. Mostly down to the eternal problem of an inventor..he hated having to explain himself to people over and over and sell his shinies...but he needed gold, to make more shinies!
Louma finds herself slithering through the marketplace, still dressed in her fitted guard's uniform as she looks around, generally examining the various stalls even as they close up, though she's more interested in keeping an eye out for troublemakers that might use the crowd and distracted vendors for easy thievery. She notices Strix, sighing inwardly before she starts to make her way over to his display, stiffly clearing her throat on reaching him.
Strix looks at the guard, and grumbles, laying out his proper stall permissions, tax forms, safety checklist (admittedly, that one he did himself) and a pile of signed waivers from everyone that had bought something from him, as well as a second stack of eyewitnesses confirming that the person who set themselves on fire had ignored the safety warnings. "Strix had to learn to read" He then turns back to his packing, having learned the most terrifying trick in any busineskobolds arsenal 'Secret Art! Paperwork Burial!'
Louma grumbles, giving a bit of a look at the kobold, but taking up the paperwork anyways. She browses the pages, rather impressed at how well this kobold had learned to write. Perhaps a bit of prejudice taints that realization, but Louma is well aware of how intelligent Strix is as an individual. She sets two pages down apart from the rest, pointing to the last few lines on both waivers. "There's an error here that could land you in a lot of trouble, just a double negative that pretty much says you are responsible for any and all explosions. Just fix that for next time."
Strix: "Strix will. Strix takes responsibility anyway if Strix's fault" He takes the papers back, and shoves them in a box, finally packing everything back, putting everything in a small pull cart "Not going to explode anyway. Just jackets warmshinies" He waves a hand towards the last few garments, which were purchased from a clothes merchant, and there was something he'd weaved into the insides of it. Some sort of..foiling? Thin wires too. "Strix can -sell- them. No Guard Discount" He adds, rather firmly. "Strix not give any guard chance to ask" since, it's pretty clear he assumes that if he didn't, they'd try to hustle him for one.
Louma chuckles, picking up one of the jackets to examine it. "Warming jackets, hm? In this environment? Wouldn't a cooling jacket be a little more tempting?" She holds the jacket up to her chest despite limited interest in buying one for herself.
Strix: "Cool at night though, and easier to make warming jacket than cooling jacket. Tried making cooling jacket. Hard to make difference between 'Nice cold' and 'Ice Cold'" The jacket she had picked would roughly fit her, Strix had aimed for the most popular body types, and serpentine wasn't really one of them. Still..it would go around her..she just not be the most fashionable snake "Strix can do orders. Put heater in jackets. If patient, and have right jacket, and not stupid deer"
Louma nods, turning the jacket to look at it once more before carefully refolding it and laying it with the others. "Either way, it's impressive, I'm glad to see you're doing well for yourself. On a totally different topic, what was that pillar of smoke about earlier?"
Strix: "Stupid Deer. Wanted heater in jacket. Wouldn't wait to finish. Took it back before could put on on limiter. Turned up past limit. Fire. Not badly hurt" Grumble Grumble "Strix hate working with public" He grunts, picking up a box of stuff, and unto the cart. Whatever the metal arm had for fancy tricks, super strength wasn't one of them it seems.
Louma chuckles, seeing the kobold struggle with the boxes. She doesn't really think anything of it as she rounds the stall, bending to help him with loading the crate.
Strix: "Grateful" Once everything is onboard he uses ..a rope to tie everything down, everything pinned down with a sailors' knot. "Strix not need to do this for a while" More to himself than Louma. "Strix also put small hamcooker near Alley. Strix trying to make Cooker. Need lots of ham, and can't eat it all. Strix know that guards like to eat food" He's trying to be nonchalant, but he's bad at it "..Strix would hope that this encourage guards to have more frequent walks around area"
Strix is really bad at just hinting at stuff.
Louma tilts her head slightly, not entirely sure on what Strix is trying to get at. "I'll see what I can do, if I eventually figure out what it is you're getting at." She tries to smile at Strix, but that unwanted tick of distaste for his people makes the expression strained. She gives up on it, looking about at the rest of the marketplace briefly. "I heard about what you did for the town in regards tot he generator problem."
Strix: "Strix not trust guard enough to explain all of Strix, but if Strix doing bad, Strix not going to ask for -more- guards." Strix was well used to that 'tick', and even more used to ignoring it (indeed, noticing it in the first place would be the unusual thing!) "Strix not do that for town. Strix do that for May. May be sad if town out of power because her plans blow up"
Louma looks to the kobold with mild surprise. "You did all that for Maybelline, just so she wouldn't be sad? Well that's very kind of you, Strix, I must admit."
Strix: "May nice person. Strix not doing anything better with time. Not so odd. At home always told to help people who need help. Not listen to much from home, but listen to that" He kicks a small pebble "Not like idea that helping someone makes Strix special"
Louma thinks about it for a moment, her demeanor relaxing slightly. "No, I suppose you're right, we're all out here together, after all. Was the lightning really necessary, though?"
Strix: "Lightning needed for power from lightning generator. Yes"
Louma can't help but laugh this time. "Alright, that's also a fair point! So are you helping May with the repairs as well?"
Strix: "No. May much better at generator. Strix not able to help. Strix not good at working with others"
Louma pauses, giving him a lopsided look. "Really? Back on Orela, kobolds tend to... Well, that's not a good example, I suppose."
Strix: "Kobolds tend to also get pushed around by big folk lots too. Strix come to land where kobolds people under law"
Louma: "I can't blame you, of course. Other than the inventions, you're not much different than everyone else that's come to this town."
Strix: "Everyone come to get away from something Strix thinks" Strix lifts up his cart, and looks to Louma, as if to connect his thought to her directly "..Strix thanks you for talk"
Louma nods, finding her smile properly this time. "Sure. Keep up the good work, Strix. And take care of yourself, hm?"
Strix: "Yes. Strix will be careful" And he's off, pulling the cart easier, helped out by those little floaty things that he'd sold to traders moving in and out of Respite.
Louma shrugs to herself, turning back to the rest of the market to continue watching as the vendors pack away their things.