Tooth and Claw (Wol)

[Neology]

Green eyes peered at the sample case over the rim of gilt spectacles, studying a heavy bell-shaped flower through two layers of glass. Blue petals, so saturated in pigment as to be almost black, concealed stamen loaded with thick, golden pollen. The thick stem twisted into a loose spiral, where large, waxy leaves concealed sharp thorns. Caedis Somniorum. A rare treasure of the Felucian jungle.

If prepared properly and introduced to the bloodstream, the roots and seeds produced a mild sense of delirium, numbness in the extremities, and, in large doses, loss of consciousness. Useful, for poisons both mundane and alchemical. When mixed with tuk'ata venom it became just the thing for incapacitating Jedi ... It really was a pity that Vance had failed to bring her a new sample.

'Ah, well. The Jedi'd probably expect it this time.' She would have to attend Lady Alde's charity dinner without that particular tool at her disposal. Novus straightened, pushing a few strands of recently dyed brown hair out of her eyes. Her fingers lingered on the frame of her glasses, adjusting the unfamiliar weight. She'd always found it best to give any proper disguise a test run, if only to get the mannerisms down.

“I'll have this too, Fahi.” She glanced around the shop, this time little more than a dirty hole in the wall, a short walk from the docks. The owner, a selonian named Fahi, was forever shuffling his goods from place to place, the pattern quite lost on the Sith. Seated behind a dusty counter, Fahi was little more than beady eyes and a dark muzzle that swiveled to follow his only costumer, peering out from beneath a heavy hood. He grunted an affirmative, listing a price in Huttese.

Sharing the counter were two small winged reptiles, connected by a loose tether to a heavy post. Novus's brows rose as she studied the beasts, ducking around shelves to settle up with Fahi. Sorrocoian tailrings, she thought, identifying the beasts almost at once. Harmless enough, but sharing a superficial resemblance to the long-extinct Arkanian dragon.

'I wonder if Vance is any good with animals?' She smiled, recognizing the excuse for what it was.

“And these. Both of them.”

[Wol]

Unpleasant as the city-scape might have been, everything here was familiar. Fast paced, grimy, exhilarating. The blanketing, smoggy haze was even a pretty thing with the reflected light from Hutta at certain hours. Though his stay here was not permanent, it served as a refreshing reminder of home. Despite his reputation amounting to little more than being a kitten at a dog fight, Wol was comfortable in this place. Being able to converse like he might have been a local had the Ualaq feeling just a little like a master of disguise, and a fraction of a badass. Perhaps one day he might learn that the 'skill' in fact took no skill at all.

Unlike the more familiar setting of Coruscant, things were certainly a hair more more.. intense in this place. At least our four eyed hero had the sense to cut his losses, abandon a small purse, and flee the scene of the tavern he'd been lingering in. Though he was a touchy feely sort of individual in better moods, the muzzle of a blaster resting on his knee under a table was not his ideal sort of touchy feely. Wol may have very well been able to collect a tidy profit in his recent game of cards. Folding had been the preferred option over taking a laser to intimate places.

Shamed, sore and a little on the grumbly side, the Ualaq had taken to casual wandering in hopes of soothing his mood. Broad shoulders shrugged forwards to an uncouth posture. Heavy footfalls announcing both his presence and mood as he strode along. The high collar of his dark coat drawn up protectively about his neck like a stiff, canvas hug. Not entirely sure just what he was expecting to find in the way of mood magic, the Aqualish's wander had drawn his interest to one of those shops of peculiar oddities.

Head poked in through the door to spend all of three seconds taking stock or merchandise, before withdrawing to continue along on his way. It had been a well conducted survey or shop contents. Though ask him about it in the next instance, and Wol would likely not be able to name a single item he had glanced over. Nor even what the general theme of the shop's goods might have been. Even if the dejected gambler had little interest in merchandise, there was something here that had Wol catching the door from fully closing. Inserting his face back into the threshold, and drawing a broad grin across his expression behind chipped tusks. The ones that wore glasses were often the needy sort with a little bit of wealth. Surely this lass was helpless when it came to piloting a ship, and in desperate need of his expertise. Though until the Ualaq queried, he would be left lingering in the door to paint a very clear and memorable image of the merchandise within a two foot radius of the Sith. Utterly failing to offer a greeting to either Novus or Fahi.

[Neology]

She leaned forward, counting peggats and truguts out of her purse, stacking them in a neat line. The diminutive reptiles sniffed and fluttered on their perch, drawing her eye. Novus reached her hand toward one, stroking the creature beneath the chin.

“Charming. Do let me know if you wind up with anymore exotic beasts. I understand they can be difficult to store.”

The door chimed softly. Another customer? A novel idea, that. For as many times as she'd visited over the years, she'd never seen anyone else in Fahi's shop. Whoever it was, she guessed that the Selonian hadn't expected the intrusion, judging by the sudden tension in his wiry body. He swept her coins off the counter and into some unseen pocket of his robe, chittering softly in agitation.

“Anything that I can help with?” Normally she wouldn't make such an offer, but finding a new supplier for some of these ingredients? A hassle she had no time for right now.

“No. No.” Fahi turned, stalking across the small space to gather up her purchases. Back at the counter, he filled a case with the delicate botanical samples. “Do you want the stand? Or the leashes?”

“That wont be necessary.”

He shrugged, producing a tiny key from somewhere within his robe. Carefully, he unfastened the miniature cuffs around the reptiles rear legs. At a slight nudge from Novus, both the beasts hopped onto the counter, and from there, her shoulders. Tiny claws left small perforations in the fabric of her dress. The beasts nuzzled against her chin, threatening to get tangled in her long hair.

“A pleasure as always, Fahi.” She tucked the case under her arm and moved to the door. Her eyebrows drew down in concern as she realized that the other … presence still lingered. Pushing open the door, she came face to face with the grinning aqualish. For one unused to the species, the expression bordered on alarming. She hesitated, briefly, then made to step around him.

“Excuse me.”

[Wol]

While the spider might have been a model citizen when it came to ethics, it took little effort to note the wave of unease that went washing over Fahi, and the Aqualish found himself strangely delighted by this. A corner of his mouth twitching to an involuntary grin behind crude tusks. Though in the same instance, Wol found himself guilty for emotion he could not control. Even if he robbed, cheated and swindled- the spider was not a bad person, or so he figured.

A hand set to each side of the door frame he occupied, dark claws pressed hard enough into the entrance to keep himself comfortably supported. A casual lounge with the appearance he wore was often more than enough to have others quite intimidated. Spiders weren't exactly known for their charming, noble looks. Despite all this, any one person who commanded dragons, despite their size, was perhaps just as intimidating. And Wol found himself faltering for just a fraction of a moment. A piece of a moment meant little however, and the Aqualish's grin was quick to grow.

Stepping around the spider would yield contact in ways perhaps a little more intimate than either might have intended, for Wol was not about to move. Failing entirely to budge from his place in the door of the shop, and likely catching Novus when she made to step outside. "You are excused." It was not every day a good looking lass literally walked into mister spiderman. All four beady black eyes turned upon the woman before him, although gaze was quick to stray to the newly acquired pets. He at one point had a witty remark, though the thought had come and gone already. For now, he would just have to settle for the strong, silent and imposing response.

[Neology]

Novus pulled back hastily, narrowly avoiding collision with the spiny alien. She glared at him from behind the wire rim of her spectacles. After a moment's pause (and very little discernible reaction from the aqualish) the Dark Lady exhaled audibly and shifted the handle of her case to her left hand.

“I mean, would you please get out of my way?” She punctuated the statement with a bit of a mental push – not quite anything so invasive as the Mind Trick, but enough to get her point across. Behind her, she could hear Fahi step out, vanishing behind a curtain. Whatever the canny selonian was up to, she'd rather not find out.

“What do you want, anyway? Harrowbane? Kewafi flowers?” She shrugged one shoulder, gesturing vaguely to the cluttered shelves, lined with various botanical samples – from living plants to powdered extracts and oils. “My friend's stock are neither edible nor recreational, I'm afraid, but if you're looking for something particular? …” She trailed off, hoping that the laconic stranger had some purpose in mind besides leering at her. It would be terrible to ruin this disguise before she ever got to really use it, after all.

[Wol]

While the little shop of botanical wonders did look on the intriguing side, the Aqualish would not count himself amongst customers. He had little purpose here, save for doing just what the poor woman was hoping against. If there wares weren't recreational nor edible, they were no good. By no means a suave fellow, but that wouldn't stop the spidey fiend from harassment.

It was only a fraction that the spider was leaning back. Clawed fingertips drawn along the frame of the door with the shift in weight. It would take a little bit of intimidating work to have the four eyed bloke taking a step back. Silence would meet Novus's please. Broken only by the broad sprawl of a spiny toothed smirk behind his tusks. Or at least silence when it came to acceptable answers.

"Nice day out, ain't it ?" ... If that was some form of a pickup line, the Aqualish was definitely in need of some dating skills. "All fancied up, and only shopping to accomplish. Why let those sweet looks go to waste, when you can join me for a dinner date." One did not receive if they did not ask, was the spider's philosophy. "You're little .. euch.. lizard friends can come too I suppose." Recoiling some upon finally taking proper note of the fact there were miniature dragons sitting on the woman's shoulders.