[Gen][1.4k]
The shopkeeper shooed her away. "Fifty thousand gil, take it or leave it!"
Hatsu felt nearby eyes pressing into the back of her head at his tone. She huffed, pointing her tail straight up as she tried to make herself a little taller, all while silently cursing the traitorous flush that bloomed across her face.
The gem's blue was muted in the shade of the stall. It was a thin slice, uniform but light in color. From this angle, it shifted to a slight teal.
Anything made with the mediocre gemstone would require extra metalwork to bring out it's appeal—or rather, it would be best used to showcase the metal work behind it. If she wanted a higher asking price, she would have to fashion it into something unique.
"Thirty thousand," She stood her ground, "it's a large window, not a large stone."
The storekeeper balked.
Memories of similar afternoons spent in the arid, dusty markets sprang forth. She had clung to her father's robes as he haggled for an ingot or two. His words echoed in her mind, though she couldn't recall his face. Of all the things she retained, it apparently wasn't anything useful in Kugane. Perhaps she would have to learn a new way of haggling.
"Oho Mistress Hatsu, what a pleasant surprise meeting you here like this!"
The voice was slow and deliberate, and one had to wonder if the oily cadence was meant to grate—it was Hancock, of the East Aldenard Trading Company. They had only properly introduced themselves the night before.
She recognized him as that man from Ul'dah, their brief exchange during that fateful banquet a little detail she forgot to mention to her comrades. Then again, the events of that bloody evening hadn't left much space to think about him but the way he grinned, showing too many teeth, made it clear he certainly remembered her. Or perhaps knew far too much about her.
She nodded to him in acknowledgment, none-too-polite, hoping it was clear it wasn't an invitation to watch. She pushed her long sleeves behind her and turned her attention back to the man.
"Forty thousand," the shopkeeper said with narrowed eyes.
It was hardly a price drop. Time was of the essence and hers would be better spent making something else. A piece of land starts at three million, and she wasn't even one step closer for all her efforts this morning. But before she could decline, that grating voice floated in again, this time a little too close to her face.
"A woman of unusual taste. It's quite the rare cut, isn't it?" He whispered, "May I offer some assistance?"
"No!" Too sharply, too quickly. "I-I wasn't going to buy it," she added, lamely, after a pause.
A raised eyebrow was barely visible over the jewel toned glass.
"Ah, but where are my manners?"
Hatsu's face burned. Gratefully, Hancock chose to ignore the awkward pause and instead, turned to the shopkeeper with a greeting.
"Mistress Hatsu is a guest of mine who will be here for the foreseeable future," he explained. "I believe I have just the proposition that would benefit everyone..."
One singular coin sat at the bottom of her pouch after he was done. Hatsu's eyes were wide with disbelief. It wasn't even enough to cover one aetheryte out of Kugane!
He wasn't wrong, it wasn't so terrible a deal. She'd bought an extra stone for which the shop was more than happy to give a discount. Under the pressure and whirlwind of their negotiation, she had let herself get carried away.
"There's no need to make that face, my dear. You have an eye for quality jewels and I have every confidence that you will not compromise on craftsmanship." His laugh a loud bark. "Of course, I am more than willing to help you strike a deal once it's completed! And quickly too, seeing as you have nothing left…"
He certainly knew how to vex and flatter all at once. Her goldsmithing tools were some of the few items she managed scavenge from her family's caravan. She supposed that was what they did for a living. Though she remembered little, she was able to allow muscle memory to carry her when she put hammer and flame to metal.
"If I may be so bold, I'd like to ask for your assistance in a certain matter." His grand, open armed gesture filled her with dread. "You see, a loyal customer of ours recently lodged a complaint that was quite concerning regarding the authenticity of our gems."
Curiosity kept her silent.
"I believe you may be familiar with the material, as it grows naturally in the Ruby Sea." He paused for a moment and although he faced forward, she felt sure he was watching her from his peripheral. She chanced a glance and was instantly annoyed with herself as they locked eyes. They narrowed with a self satisfied grin.
He continued, "The customer's insistence on our duplicity has put our reputation on the line. Worse, they are now refusing any further communication."
He paused again. "I have just the reward for you for looking into the matter—if you're so inclined."
"And what do you want me to do?" She finally asked, against her better judgment. She did owe him after all.
Hancock carefully shut the door behind them, deftly flicking the lock shut in one movement. He grinned at her hesitancy as he pulled a small chest from a shelf. Motioning her over, he delicately lifted the lid to reveal its contents—smooth, red beads gleamed in the lamp light.
Before she could stop herself, Hatsu clapped her hands together in awe. She had a string of beads just like this in her belongings. Coral, Tataru had told her. So rare were they in Ul'dah that Hatsu held onto them like a lifeline, should worst comes to worst.
"They were bartered from Sui-no-Sato. If you are not aware, they are nigh impossible to do trade with. I was confident you would be able to tell me more about these gems."
Hatsu looked up, his voice breaking her trance. She didn't, and was sorry she would disappoint him. His mouth pursed in a frown. Again, she felt that his gaze never left her, as if waiting for something.
Hancock nodded encouragingly to her. Cautiously, she dipped her hand in the box and scooped out several beads, rolling them in her palm. The feeling both instantly familiar and foreign at the same time. She returned her hand to the beads several more times, scooping and letting them roll back into the box. And then it struck her. She picked one off the top and dug one out from the bottom and placed them on the nearby weighing scale.
"Aha! I must confess—you're every bit the clever jeweler I've been expecting." Hancock smiled satisfactorily as the scale tipped.
"Do you not authenticate these?" Hatsu asked.
Hancock thought for a moment. "We certainly did. Though the employee in charge has been on leave to care for an ill family member."
"What if they… skimmed it?"
"I suspect the same."
Her heart dropped. Remembering the way Lolorito swung the Brass Blades around like weapons, she suddenly realized she shouldn't have said anything at all.
Hancock chuckled. "Not to worry, my dear. We will investigate first—if more money was all they needed, we may be able to resolve this amicably." Then quietly, he added, "And with Lolorito none the wiser."
Hatsu was relieved and surprised by his words.
"Well, if that was all you needed, I'll see myself out," she said, turning towards the door.
"Hold on a moment! I promised you recompense for your aid."
Hatsu felt as if the walls were closing in on her. She had the suspicious feeling that he never needed her help in the first place. She turned around and had to quickly stumble a few steps back; dangling in front of her was a rolled up piece of parchment.
It was a contract template for a housing permit for adventurers—she had excitedly asked for a tour the previous night. Yet while looking at a map of Shirogane, she was reminded she couldn't read nor write a single Hingan character. When did he draft this up?
"No thanks," she closed her eyes and turned up her nose. "I can do it myself in the Goblet."
"Alas, as I recall, you can hardly afford the aetheryte fees. Oh, but pardon me. Even if you could, I'm sure the Scions and the Doman Liberation Front would approve if you were to wander off to another continent at this critical time…"
Unwilling to listen to anymore of his prodding, Hatsu snatched the parchment from his hand and turned on her heels, Hancock's laugher chasing her out the door.