Stone's Throw

[Andreas Amell]

Oy! You don't get to act like I'm the one being rude after you-- "Yes, on my way," he said curtly, very interested in finishing out the list.

[GamesMaster]

Many of the addresses are in Cattown, giving him a tour of the cramped, overcrowded, and occasionally stinky area, though it's surprisingly cleaner than some sections of Coalside. He definitely doesn't fit in this area, with the youth having variously colored dyed fur, and the clothes far less expensive than his own. 

[Andreas Amell]

I wonder if anyone back at the house is any good with fur dye? Andreas wondered for the dozenth or so time in the last hour, this time inspired by the sight of a female catfolk with dragonscale patterns in calico colours on her fur. It was good that he'd been keeping to a rapid walk this whole time; that, plus the fact that his clothes, while well made, were at least not fancy in any way, were the only reasons why he'd avoided being mugged or at least pushed around so far. 

His expression of focus intermixed with spots of curiosity help as well, given that either lacked any disdain or scorn. Still, a good part of that is that the scene around him felt more theatre than reality. It wasn't that he was unaware of poverty, or that he didn't notice the signs of it around him, simply that... that there was no immediacy to it. Despite being nearly coinless, he didn't feel poor.

[GamesMaster]

Eventually, he runs out of names and heads back to the house, where Cameron is rolling devilweed into a cigarette shape. "Hey. Done already?"

[Andreas Amell]

"Yep," Andreas replied, cheering up a little at the implication he'd finished faster than expected. That bodes well at least. "Only three out of the lot didn't have the coin." He winced, looking away briefly. 

"One was good about it, one, ah, tried to offer barter? The last-- or rather, the first really-- of the three..." He gestured at his face, where there's a bruise just about ripened on his cheek bone and a scab on his upper lip. "He was unhappy. And I had his package in hand when he hit me..." He faltered, both at the memory flaring up the pain on his face, and because he's worried about Cameron's reaction to the missing quarter or so of product.

[GamesMaster]

"Oh no, let's get some ointment on that," says Cameron, jumping right up when they see the damage. "Come come, this way."

[Andreas Amell]

Did he not hear..? Or maybe he didn't understand that... "I lost a good quarter of his brick," Andreas clarified, determined to get it out there quickly. "And his was the biggest, or at least among the biggest." It's not like he weighed or measured any of them after all.

[GamesMaster]

"I'll add it to his bill," they said casually, fetching the ointment. "Now, sit still." 

[Andreas Amell]

Off balance, Andreas nevertheless complied with the instruction. "...just... just that?"

[GamesMaster]

Cameron paused. "Well, of course. Your face is more important than the money. Oh, but I guess you come from money -- they don't see things the same way we artists do."

[Andreas Amell]

"Ahahaha, what-- umm, what makes you say, ah--"

[GamesMaster]

Cameron waved a hand. "Oh, a lot of us artists come from money. It gives you the freedom to explore your art while not worrying about sustenance, but at the end of the day, it puts too many limiters on you. You have to get out there and experience life for your art to really pack a punch."

[Andreas Amell]

Oh. Okay, that's not as dire as I feared. Good. Good. Nothing to-- gah! Fuck, lip, oww! "Okay, smile bad. Oww."

[GamesMaster]

"Poor dear. Here, you don't smoke, right? Let me get you a painkiller." Cameron heads back to the medicine cabinet with the ointment they've just finished applying, bringing over instead a small round caramel candy dusted with powdered sugar. "This should help."

[Andreas Amell]

"Willow bark?" Andreas guessed, taking the ball and sniffing it curiously.