<TIAMAT> *It's been a couple days since Jeanne's return to the Arena, during which her and Kender have tromped from one end to the next asking his friends and contacts if they know anything about Pierre, though they've pretty much gotten the same answer all around: Never heard of him. They're currently mulling over the problem as they wait for their lunch at the Rustling Ghost, though Jeanne's becoming quite discouraged.

<TIAMAT> *She heaves a heavy sigh. "Ah dunno, Kender lad, mayhaps 'e's not 'ere ... though Ah dunno where t'go next ..."

<JETMODE> <Kender> *guilty look* I'm sorry I haven't been much help ...

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne grins a bit as Willy flaps down to the table top, pecking along the wood. "Och, ye've no need t'be sorry, laddie, ye've done more'n Ah ever asked of ye, an' Ah'm greatful of ye."

<JETMODE> <Kender> It was the least I could do ... *stares thoughtfully at the table* I can think of one place we didn't go.. did you say he was a merchant?

<TIAMAT> *Willy clambers up onto Kender's forearm. "Pearls, pearls, woo!

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne glances at Willy nervously, then back at Kender, shifting a little uncomfortably. "Er -- er, yes, a merchant, 's right. A jewel merchant 'o sorts, yeh could say."

<JETMODE> <Kender> Well, we might be able to ask around the merchant's guild and see if he's been seen there.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne pauses a moment while the waitress brings their lunch (and flashes Kender a charming smile as she departs). "D'ya think? Mayhaps... *she thinks for a moment* Ah might try the docking bay 's well, ter see if 'e ... 'ad any shipmens come through 'ere recently ...

<JETMODE> <Kender> *cheerfully* So it's a plan, then. *starts eating*

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne grins faintly and starts in on her own food while Willy picks at Kender's.

<JETMODE> *Kender has approximately as much luck shooing Willy away as he does with Cinno, who has been giving him the cold shoulder for the past couple of days for coming home smelling like bird.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne snorts a little. "Cummon, Willy, git away from there! *she raps on the table to get Willy's attention, but he just blinks at her and continues nibbling away at Kender's lunch.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *sighs* It's all right, Cinno does it all the time. *he eats rapidly to compete with the bird*

<TIAMAT> *Willy squawks indignantly and flaps up to Kender's shoulder. Jeanne sighs a little. "Ah'm sorry about that, Kender lad, 'e usually 'as manners enough t'only take m'own meal."

<JETMODE> <Kender> *faint snort* Maybe it's a sign of affection.

<TIAMAT> *Willy: Affection, affection!

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne grins. "Och, 'e likes ye well enough, laddie, 'tis fer sure!"

<JETMODE> <Kender> Riight. *continues eating*

<JETMODE> *After lunch, Kender makes his way to the merchant guild. He's a little bit nervous, as he's never been down that way before.

<TIAMAT> *Willy just happens to be going with Kender, too, just to let you know. While the guilds themselves are pretty much spread across the Arena, the headquarters for all of them happen to take up a fair chunk of the fourth floor, and today they happen to be -- like most any other day -- considerably busy.

<JETMODE> *Kender looks at Willy a little warily. "Why.. are you with me?"

<TIAMAT> *The guild headquarters take up a long stretch of hallway, with large, open lobbies on either side of the corridor that lead off to the individual offices. Both lobbies also sport long, narrows desks, each with three or four pretty receptionists not unlike Cindy and Sylva filling out paper work, running errands, directing traffic and the like.

<JETMODE> *Kender avoids the receptionists, searching for one office in particular and hoping it's marked.

<TIAMAT> *They quite probably are, though before he can locate the one he's looking for, a nearby door is flung open and an irritable looking bird-lady stalks out, calling back over her shoulder, "And I want that report on my desk by tomorrow morning! No excuses!" She slams the door shut a little hard and turns, nearly running smack into Kender.

<TIAMAT> *Willy flaps his wings to keep his balance on Kender's shoulder, calling, "No excuses! No excuses!"

<JETMODE> *Kender stumbles backward, yelping a little. "Er -- sorry --"

<TIAMAT> *The bird lady comes to an abrupt hault, ruffling her feathers a little and peering at Kender. "Yes, well, quite all right. *she clicks her beak once and starts off across the hallway to the other lobby and set of offices.

<JETMODE> <Kender> Hey -- er, hey, wait --

<TIAMAT> *She pauses, half-turning back to him. "Yes?

<JETMODE> <Kender> I don't suppose.. do you know where I could find the head of the merchant guild?

<TIAMAT> *The bird lady blinks and chuckles a bit, smiling airily as she folds her arms, draping her wings around herself. "Why, yes, as a matter of fact, you just happen to be talking to her right now. *amused look*

<JETMODE> <Kender> *blankly* Oh, I am? -- okay. I.. I needed to ask you a question.

<TIAMAT> *She clicks her beak again. "Oh? Come, let's withdraw to my office -- the lobbies get far to crowded. *she turns back and leads him across the hall and to one of the larger offices, holding the door open for him and ushering him inside. "Now, what can I do for you, Mister..?"

<JETMODE> <Kender> Oanesdale. Er. Kender Oanesdale. I was wondering if there'd been any sign of a gem merchant by the name of Pierre.. er.. Beaulieu. He deals mostly in pearls ...

<TIAMAT> *Silke taps her beak, thinking. "Pierre Beaulieu, eh? Never heard of him ... though if he's a gem merchant, you might try some of the local jewlery shops. Jasmine does a lot of dealing with outside merchants and freelancers ... though if it's gems you're looking for, we just received a very nice shipment in this morning. I could take you to see them, in fact -- still up in the docking bay, haven't even been unloaded yet. You'd get first pick--"

<JETMODE> <Kender> *startled, shakes his head vigorously* Er -- no, no -- that's all right. I was just wondering if he'd been around. Thanks for the info!

<TIAMAT> *Willy squawks. "First pick, first pick!"

<TIAMAT> *Silke sighs a little. "Well, yes, you're quite welcome ... you're sure I can't interest you in anything? We've got a nice crate of opals, most reserved for the mages -- they like to enchant them, you see --"

<JETMODE> <Kender> Maybe some other time.. *sheepish grin* I'm just a beastmaster.. haven't got much use for 'em..

<JETMODE> *He's backing slowly away.

<TIAMAT> *Silke: Oh, well, perhaps some other time. They make lovely gifts, you know -- mages only like to use the best pick, so they're guaranteed to be quite beautiful...

<JETMODE> <Kender> Thanks -- bye -- sorry -- *hurries away, muttering to himself* Geez, merchants ...

<TIAMAT> *Willy: Merchants, merchants!

<TIAMAT> *Meanwhile, Jeanne has not, in fact, gone up to the docking bay. Instead, she's made her way quickly down to the lower level bars -- not the undead bars, but some of the darker ones where thieves and mercenaries like to hang out. She slides onto a stool at the bar, glancing around warily.

<JETMODE> *A few seats down is a decidedly dishevelled and gloomy-looking pirate, wearing the uniform that marks him as one of Pel's very own. It looks as though he hasn't washed, though. Possibly in weeks.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne has spotted him and keeps glancing at him every so often, though she doesn't look terribly eager to approach him just yet -- especially with that stench.

<JETMODE> *He heaves a sigh, staring miserably at his drink. Then, after another moment, he bursts into what can only be called.. sniffles.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne stares at him in bemusement for a moment. "Hoy, mate, wotsamattah?"

<JETMODE> <pirate> I c-can't believe she threw me over.. and for HIM ...

<TIAMAT> *Realization dawns on Jeanne's face. "Aaah, yore pretty lady take a fancy t'some othah, eh?"

<JETMODE> <pirate> *blinks at her, watery-eyed* We -- we'd been together for YEARS, and he just shows up one day.. and and just like THAT --

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne: Didjya fight 'im, mate? All gels like it when their man fights for 'em, y'know. Can't jus' up 'n quit, now.

<JETMODE> <pirate> *blearily* F-fight him? Sh-she gave me an order. I can't just disobey orders.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne gives him an incredulous look. "Order, mate? Wot, she ordered yeh t'leave? An' yeh didn't even question it?"

<JETMODE> <pirate> I.. but she.. *stares at the bar for a moment, then leaps to his feet looking determined* Y-you're right! I'm -- I'm gonna go back up there -- an' march right in -- an' ASK FOR MY JOB BACK.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne gives him an even more incredulous -- not to mention startled -- look. "Job!? Wot job?"

<JETMODE> <pirate> *looks at her a little blankly* My job.. *rubs at his nose* This guy.. he just showed up out of nowhere and she fires me -- an' I've been working for her eight years -- EIGHT YEARS!

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne stares blankly, then sighs a little. "Och...well, s'ppose y'still might ask 'er why she did it, then, seein' as yeh've been workin' for 'er fer s'long. What kinna job, anyway, mate?"

<JETMODE> <pirate> *straightens trying to look official -- or at least presentable* My name's Nansel -- I'm Captain Pel's very own gofer. Or.. or at least, I was..

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne grins a little. "Nice t'meetchya, Nansel. Ah'm Jeanne -- didjya say Pel?"

<JETMODE> <Nansel> Um.. yep. Pelna Garian. She runs supplies for this Arena. *oddly enough, he seems to be sobering up a little*

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne grins. "Why, ol' Pelna! She's 'ere? Ah haven't seen 'er in years! *pauses, peers at Nansel* An' she jus' up 'n fired yeh fer some other shmuck? Why'd she do summat like that?"

<JETMODE> <Nansel> *a little sniffly again* I.. I don't know.. he looked awfully suspicious to me, but she treated him like an old friend. And.. and.. *snifff* EIGHT YEARS!!

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne: Aw, c'mon now, mate, no use sobbin' 'bout it, now, izzer? Eithah y'go ask 'er wot she's doin', or yeh says she ain't worth it an' forget 'bout her! *pause, thinks* Though...d'ya 'appen t'know 'ow long she's gonna be 'erebouts? Ah wouldn't mind talkin' to 'er affore she leaves..

<JETMODE> <Nansel> Well.. *sniffles again, wipes his eyes* .. the loading and unloading takes a week, but we've got some repairs, so we'll be here another couple of weeks..

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne: Ah, 'tis grand, Ah've got plenty 'o time t'find her. Don't s'ppose yeh'd know where she's stayin', mate?

<JETMODE> <Nansel> She always stays on the ship. *nods* Security!

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne chuckles. "Ah might'a known -- 'tis right like Pel. Och, now, matey, cheer up, eh? Lissen, if'n yore goin' t'talk t'her 'bout yore job, Ah might jus' come with yeh, if yeh don't mind."

<JETMODE> <Nansel> Um.. okay.. *sniffles* You're sure this is a good idea?

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne: Well ... *thinks for a moment* 'ow much 'arm could it do? Ah mean, if'n yeh jus' asked 'er wot this other shmuck's got that y'don't...'tis worth a shot, t'ain't it?

<JETMODE> <Nansel> M..maybe.. but I.. I don't want to go back right now. *looks a bit leery, in fact* I'll.. have a drink or two first.

<TIAMAT> *Jeanne, a little doubtfully: Och, well, if yeh say so, matey ... Ah think Ah'll go see 'er m'self, though. *slides off the stool* Good luck t'yeh, Nansel, mate.

<JETMODE> <Nansel> S-sure. *sinks back into gloom*