[ Well, Sylus is used to new and unfamiliar places. He's had to venture far and wide for the maintenance of his enterprises; the procurement of both resources and knowledge. Usually, however, he's not foolish enough to wander into unknown territory without a plan and a file full of reconnaissance. And that had been his plan this time too, but— well. He's not omnipotent.
Sometimes even the best of plans can get waylaid.
So he is vaguely unprepared as he stands in this foreign city (sorry, pixi, makes you describe some random genshin city), but his demeanour certainly doesn't betray it. He looks as calm as ever as he surveys the wares of an arms dealer. ]
The make is poor. I would hardly even use this to prepare a salad. Do you really expect payment for this?
[ He might not be familiar with the design and materials, but he has a discerning eye for quality.
His condescension doesn't endear him to the shopkeep, however, whose gaze drops to the gun that Sylus has holstered at his side. Behind him, a pair of goons rise to their feet with perfect, villainous synchronicity. It seems... there might be an altercation looming imminently. ]
[The Court of Fontaine isn't Childe's favorite place in the world, he's found. He's only been here for a few days, but he'd thought, naively, that that the nation of water would be kinder to one of its wielders--that, through some unseen affinity, he'd have uncharacteristically good luck and find what he's searching for with little to no trouble. Too much to expect, it seems.
But Childe isn't an easily dispirited man. Setbacks happen--and he's here on personal business anyway, so he doesn't have any subordinates to manage, and the only nearby coworker worth his attention is too busy with her own tasks to pay him any mind. It means no allies, but it means a completely free schedule, too, which leaves him plenty of time to indulge as he likes. And what he likes, more than anything, is a good fight. (Maybe this is good luck after all?)
This exchange has nothing to do with him, but it piques his interest; the hired muscle, even more so. They're hardly the Champion Duelist he's been hounding, but he's not picky. He pays them no attention for now, though, turning instead to the man who is currently rousing the shopkeeper's ire. Not a local, clearly, which is amusing; granted, Childe doubts this man makes a habit of cushioning his words for most anyone.
He puts down the daggers he'd been examining and turns to face Sylus, resting a hand on his hip.]
You sound like you know your stuff, comrade. Care to share your thoughts?
[His tone is friendly and curious, as if he genuinely wants to hear Sylus's critiques--though whether that's true or he's just throwing wood on the fire is a mystery.]
[ His gaze slides over to Childe without hurry, taking a moment to observe him under the guise of considering the question posed, and trying to decide if he wants to incur more ire than he already has.
He's not in any hurry to make enemies in an unknown place. ]
Here.
[ Lifting up one of the daggers that Childe had just put down, he flicks his finger against the blade, and listens to the vibration. ]
There's a weak spot in the blade from uneven heating, and [ running a finger along the length ] warping from improper cooling. I wonder if the smith could tell hot from cold.
[ His posture and tone is casual, even as one of the goons whips out a sword to strike at him. I hate writing someone cool and capable, but he just side steps to avoid the hit, and jams the dagger into the henchman's arm. ]
[A normal person would probably hightail it out of this shop around this point. Fortunately, Childe is the furthest thing from normal. The nonchalance makes him laugh, which, he knows, is a surefire way to make the attackers assume he's an accomplice of some kind--but that's fine. If they knew who he was, they'd be assuming much worse. Most of it would even be true.]
Nothing quite like a live demonstration to prove the point! [The space is too narrow for him to use his own preferred weapons, so instead, he picks up the other dagger, flinging it with a flick of his wrist directly at the other goon. I also wish he would miss horrendously and look like a moron, but unfortunately, he is also highly competent... disgusting. The dagger embeds itself in the second goon's shoulder, almost concerningly deep for such a throw.] But they work in a pinch. Maybe a price reduction? Ah, but I don't know how much haggling Fontanians are used to. I've heard they're quite stubborn here.
[Meanwhile, two men are angrily bleeding all over the floor.]
[ That doesn't sound like any place that he's familiar with on Earth, so perhaps he'd wandered into space again... Somehow. Life really is mysterious like that.
He smirks a little at the that Childe lands, not bothering to hide that he's pleased this stranger can keep up, or the fact that this violence isn't inconveniencing him at all.
The shop owner's face is a deep shade of red as he screams at them to get out, and while Sylus isn't keen to be given orders by the like's of such a weakling... He's also not going to beat up a little old man. With a theatric sigh, he shakes his head and makes his way back out. ]
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no subject
Sometimes even the best of plans can get waylaid.
So he is vaguely unprepared as he stands in this foreign city (sorry, pixi, makes you describe some random genshin city), but his demeanour certainly doesn't betray it. He looks as calm as ever as he surveys the wares of an arms dealer. ]
The make is poor. I would hardly even use this to prepare a salad. Do you really expect payment for this?
[ He might not be familiar with the design and materials, but he has a discerning eye for quality.
His condescension doesn't endear him to the shopkeep, however, whose gaze drops to the gun that Sylus has holstered at his side. Behind him, a pair of goons rise to their feet with perfect, villainous synchronicity. It seems... there might be an altercation looming imminently. ]
no subject
But Childe isn't an easily dispirited man. Setbacks happen--and he's here on personal business anyway, so he doesn't have any subordinates to manage, and the only nearby coworker worth his attention is too busy with her own tasks to pay him any mind. It means no allies, but it means a completely free schedule, too, which leaves him plenty of time to indulge as he likes. And what he likes, more than anything, is a good fight. (Maybe this is good luck after all?)
This exchange has nothing to do with him, but it piques his interest; the hired muscle, even more so. They're hardly the Champion Duelist he's been hounding, but he's not picky. He pays them no attention for now, though, turning instead to the man who is currently rousing the shopkeeper's ire. Not a local, clearly, which is amusing; granted, Childe doubts this man makes a habit of cushioning his words for most anyone.
He puts down the daggers he'd been examining and turns to face Sylus, resting a hand on his hip.]
You sound like you know your stuff, comrade. Care to share your thoughts?
[His tone is friendly and curious, as if he genuinely wants to hear Sylus's critiques--though whether that's true or he's just throwing wood on the fire is a mystery.]
no subject
He's not in any hurry to make enemies in an unknown place. ]
Here.
[ Lifting up one of the daggers that Childe had just put down, he flicks his finger against the blade, and listens to the vibration. ]
There's a weak spot in the blade from uneven heating, and [ running a finger along the length ] warping from improper cooling. I wonder if the smith could tell hot from cold.
[ His posture and tone is casual, even as one of the goons whips out a sword to strike at him. I hate writing someone cool and capable, but he just side steps to avoid the hit, and jams the dagger into the henchman's arm. ]
But I suppose toys can be useful too.
no subject
Nothing quite like a live demonstration to prove the point! [The space is too narrow for him to use his own preferred weapons, so instead, he picks up the other dagger, flinging it with a flick of his wrist directly at the other goon. I also wish he would miss horrendously and look like a moron, but unfortunately, he is also highly competent... disgusting. The dagger embeds itself in the second goon's shoulder, almost concerningly deep for such a throw.] But they work in a pinch. Maybe a price reduction? Ah, but I don't know how much haggling Fontanians are used to. I've heard they're quite stubborn here.
[Meanwhile, two men are angrily bleeding all over the floor.]
no subject
[ That doesn't sound like any place that he's familiar with on Earth, so perhaps he'd wandered into space again... Somehow. Life really is mysterious like that.
He smirks a little at the that Childe lands, not bothering to hide that he's pleased this stranger can keep up, or the fact that this violence isn't inconveniencing him at all.
The shop owner's face is a deep shade of red as he screams at them to get out, and while Sylus isn't keen to be given orders by the like's of such a weakling... He's also not going to beat up a little old man. With a theatric sigh, he shakes his head and makes his way back out. ]
Well, looks like we're both leaving empty-handed.
[ Which he guesses is his fault. Oops. ]