A Riot market had popped up fairly close to the clan, so a few dragons visited to sample the sister flight's wares. Carrie felt out of place in a market like this, but as she looked around at the variety of dragons with strange markings, abilities, and appearances, she felt a little better.
Until she passed close to a stall that emanated an energy so abhorrent that it almost knocked her out of the air. Nauseated - a new experience - she flew until she could turn around and see what was pushing her away.
When Carrie saw the stall, she realized that, under the nausea, the repelling energy was familiar to her. On the display table sat a neat row of stuffed dolls in Beast-esque shapes.
The shopkeeper, a starry purple Tundra with a cowboy hat sitting jauntily on his head, called out to Carrie. "Ya look haunted, friend! I sell talismans ta ward off misfortune and evil spirits. Would ya like one?"
"No!" Carrie replied, forcefully enough to startle the shopkeeper. He looked a little hurt, but Carrie was too uncomfortable to care. She flew off without another word. Afterward, she found every clanmate she trusted and told them what had happened, asking them never to buy one of those talismans.
Some time later in the day, Hura decided to skim the market. He didn't think he had any real need for Plague-related items, but with their survivalism in all types of situation, he thought he might find something he'd want.
"Howdy-do," called one of the shopkeepers. Hura turned to see a purple Tundra in a cowboy hat. "Ain't every day we see a Spark around these parts. Ya lookin' for a good-luck charm?"
Hura eyed the shopkeeper's wares. Just by being here, he was worried about leaving his machine alone for too long. The forest was not friendly to artificial creations. Yes, he could use a bit of luck.
He picked up one of the figures. "What is this supposed to be, anyway? Some sort of dryad?"
The shopkeeper shrugged. "If ya want ta call it that, sure. It ain't really supposed ta
be anything. But it'll dispel any bad luck ye're havin', sure enough."
"That's what I need," Hura decided. "Do these all work the same, or...?"
"Works better," the shopkeeper clarified, poking around in a box under the table, "the more yer talisman looks like you." He produced one dressed all in green. "Sorry I don't have any green male dolls, but this should do ya just fine."
Carrie suddenly felt a burst of the same repellent energy again. It faded as quickly as it came, as though someone had passed by while carrying one of the talismans.
Great, Carrie thought, exasperated. She looked around and remembered that Hura had just flown through. Her curiosity got the better of her - what was he doing taking it out into the middle of the forest? So she followed.
Carrie watched Hura from a safe distance as he entered a small clearing near a stream. She saw a tall machine, which Hura flew up to with a familiarity that could only mean that this was where he was headed. Hura furtively glanced around -
a bit late for that, Carrie thought with amusement, tucking herself farther behind a tree branch - then set the talisman on a flat surface that seemed to be protecting a screen. He eyed it, as if expecting it to fall off of its own accord, then pulled a roll of tape off his toolbelt and taped the talisman to the machine. He nodded, put the tape away, and flew back to the clan, never noticing Carrie's tiny presence nearby.
Carrie waffled, concerned about the presence of Hura's strange device. Should she say something? What if that machine was completely harmless? How would she explain what prompted her to follow Hura around? As she also flew back to the clan, she finally decided that she would at least tell Avogadro and Chi; they knew her well, and they would know what to do.
-You may recall that every year, Plague hosts an event for RoR called
Diseased Dollmaking and I love it. Last year, I made one for Jetta and counted it as an art pull. This year, the dolls are back! I'm counting Hura's as my art pull!
