12891/Searching for Treasure

Searching for Treasure
Date of Scene:	25 March 2021
Location:	Fontainebleu Antiques, Yonkers
Synopsis:	Buffy checks out a new antique store and acquires some new toys.
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Hellequin

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Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers had heard about a new antiques store opening up, and it was always a good excuse to visit New York in search of new weapons to add to her growing collection. Additionally, she was hoping to get some leads on a shield that was stolen from the magic shop recently. Afterall, it wouldn't be unheard of for thieves to steal an antique shield, and attempt to sell it elsewhere and it was certainly worth something.

After finding the store, she steps in, peering around in awe and wonder..

Hellequin has posed:
This is really a store for the Medieval history enthusiasts. Although the store itself is perfectly new and shiny, there are items all over the place, from weapons on a wall, to jewelry, illuminations and antique books in the back. The whole store is filled with a light medieval music, sometimes with gregorian songs, making it feel more like a museum than a store.

The owner, a man in his mid-thirties wearing a light grey suit, is busy in the otherwise empty store. There are still a few large crates that need to be opened. On the counter near the walls with the weapon, pieces of ancient armors are ready to be added to the wall display.

As the door opens, Henri glances over at the new customer. No visible reaction can be seen when he ovbiously recognizes the Slayer.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle, welcome," he greets her.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers is of course drawn towards the medieval weaponry, eyes widened in e cite meant as if she's a kid in a candy store, "Woow, this place is amazing!" she quips, nodding and smiling to the store owner. "Hey there, how's it going? I just looove these weapons! Are they functional?"

Of course, Buffy is afraid to touch them in case they are for display only. And if they're antiques, they might just be delicate if they're not functional.Even so, she can tell by a mere look that they are of good quality.

Hellequin has posed:
Henri stays at the end of the long counter, seemingly busy with the content of some crate placed on the floor. Offering a gentle smile at Buffy, he nods.

"Oui, of course," he replies, "All functional, and all guenine. Fontainebleau Antiques never sells reproductions, no matter how good they might look."

Noticing her hesitation at touching them, he adds, "You can touch them, mademoiselle, just be careful, some are very heavy and dangerous." And as an afterthought, he mentions, "We offer a large variety of jewels, this might interest you. Very nice pendants, small crosses, rosaries."

Is he trying to distract Buffy from the weapons, of thinking that a cross might be more suitable in her case?

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers grins and nods, "Cool. Of course, thats always nice to hear. I'm a bit of a collector of weapons afterall.." his warning seems not to concern her at all and she just shrugs casually, plucking a giant claymore from the wall that's almost as long as she is tall - probably weighs as much as she does, heck maybe even more by the looks of it.

"Hmm, nice craftsmanship.." she murmurs as she inspects it, flipping it effortlessly in her hands and swinging it expertly as if it weighed little more than a pencil. Somehow she manages not to hit or damage anything else in the store either.

"Hard to transport though.." she chuckles as she replaces the sword on the wall. "Nah, not really heavy on the jewelry, although a fancy crucifix on a chain would be nifty, after my last one broke."

Hellequin has posed:
Always offering the same engaging smile, Henri tilts his head just slightly, admiring Buffy's expect handling of the claymore.

"Mademoiselle seems to, huh, if I may say so, be used to handle weapons. And I must remind you, that anything you might break will be charged to you. Just a reminder, but I trust that you won't."

He then pauses, thinking for a brief moment, "If you are looking for something more... practical, or just to use as decoration, I have something here that might suit you better." Henri bends down, and opens one of the two crates near him. "Ah! ah! Voilà!"

The weapon is expertly brandished, altough not menacingly, just slowly swirling it around so Buffy can recognize it. No crack in the handle, no rust on the iron parts.

"A proximity, auto-defense, weapon. Portable, travel-size battle flail with three striking heads. Very handy." As he describes the weapon, he slowly detaches the striking heads that were kept along the handle with an ingenious mechanism that can be released from the handle. "The perfect gift for the man in your life!"
He then places the flail on the counter near Buffy. Then Henri moves toward the jewelry display - seemingly keeping his distances from Buffy for some reason - and starts looking for a cross. Knowing who she is and what she usually does at night, she needs a very good one. Very good and durable.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smiles and nods, "No worries, I know how to treat weapons with respect, but I understand your concern..I'll be careful." she seems rather amused at the mere idea that she'd be so clumsy to drop a weapon.

And then of course he mentions a gift for her significant other, and that makes her chuckle even more. "Hmmm well..My boyfriend loves weapons too..Although I've always wanted a mace. Let's see!" age steps towards the display case, eyes widening in more awe at the sight of the beautiful weapon. "Niiice..." she holds out her hand, palm up. "May I?"

When the mace is laid in the table, Buffy can't help herself, she grabs the mace, stepping back so there's some safe space between her and other objects and she starts to spin it in slow, controlled circles, clearly as much an expert at this as with all other weapons, "Hmm, nice weight, good balance...How much is it? Does this weapon have an interesting history?"

Hellequin has posed:
Henri watches Buffy swirl the mace around, woman and weapon being as one together. Interesting history, she asks!? Henri smiles at the question. It does, indeed, have an interesting history. Will she believe it, or take it as some sales pitch? Although Henri has to use white lies at times, he would rather not lie. So he'll just... embellish the story and go to confess tomorrow morning.

"Will you believe it, mademoiselle, this was supposedly custom made for no one else than Jeanne d'Arc - hrm, Joan of Arc. I will not go as far as to pretend that she actually owned it, but it comes from her hometown museum, so it could be true."

And it is true, but he'd rather not explain how he collected it directly centuries ago from Joan's weaponry. A very true special weapon, which waited for centuries for anyone worthy of it. And here she is now.

On that, he stops his explanation, studying any reaction from Buffy, as if unsure if she knows of the Saint patron of France, burnt at the stake by the British for the crime of heresy.

"As for the price, I am open for negociations. You could bundle it with a cross." Not waiting for her answer, Henri turns to the jewelry display, as if he really wanted for Buffy to acquire a cross.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers seems to watch the weapon reverently, running her fingers along the spiky edges of the ball and the chain it's attached to, admiring the handiwork as she listens. "Joan of Arc? You mean..*That* Joan of Arc?!"

Of course, there were some rumours that she was also a Slayer - which may or may not be true. She smirks, "Cool! Yeah, I've heard stories..I wonder if she *did* use this weapon..It's always possible right?"

Which begs the question. "Soo..How'd you end up with this weapon?" she nods slowly, thoughtfully, "Possibly, what kind of jewelry do you have? Something pretty but not too girly, yet practical and not too small a cross but not too clunky would be good."

Hellequin has posed:
"Yes, /that/ Jeanne d'Arc," Henri replies, something akind to sadness in his voice. "If any weapon still around could have been used by her, mademoiselle, it would be this one for sure. The museum only had one, and after some natural disaster, needed donations and well... I made a very good donation, and was given this object in return."

Hopefully the explanation will do, because Henri is getting quite uncomfortable with the amount of lying he is using to convince Buffy to acquire what he sees as hers already. Oh the confession tomorrow will be long and require lots of penitence.

Henri unlocks the jewelry display, focusing his attention to the far end of the display, where he keeps his most precious crosses, some of them having being blessed espcially for the knights before their crusade to the Holy Land. Long, long ago...

Lost in memories for a moment, his large hand rests on one of the crosses, as if to feel is very nature, charged with the special protective blessing bestowed on it and by the purity of the soul who once owned it. It is, indeed, a treasure that looks like any other item, its real value invisible to the eyes. Good thing is, its not clunky, not girly - since it was made for a man - is very solid and the perfect size.

"Here, mademoiselle, may I suggest this one? It is said that the Jerusalem cross was given to the crusaders, and granted them special protection. Most customers buy it to help them achieve specific goals in life, as a symbol of their own crusade."

Holding the cross in his large caloused hand - not the hand of a man of letters - his blue eyes meet Buffy's, as they convey something strange, almost something like... kindness? Or is it just some salesman's trick. Who knows! "I can offer you a rebate if you want it. Being the owner gives me some leaway."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers blinks slowly and sighs. "Wow..That is pretty special..Must be worth a fortune.." maybe even more if rumours that she was a slayer are true. It would make sense too, with her holy calling and accusations that she's a witch..

Her attention is briefly distracted however, when she is presented with the Jerusalem cross, biting her lip as she peers at it thoughtfully, running a finger over its surface. "Wow, it's beautiful..What makes it so special? is it blessed or something?"

She arches a brow, "Oh yeah? What kinda deal?" she smiles, intrigued.

Hellequin has posed:
Henri slowly nods, almost reverently at the small cross, "Yes, it is said to be blessed," he replies, "All the crusaders' crosses were blessed before them embarking on their Holy journey. I am quite confident that this one is a true crusader's cross. It was blessed so to accomplish a Holy mission. Can't be more blessed than that, can it?"

Actually, he is more than confident that it is. He himself never got the chance to go on a cruisade, but he sure followed them. From a distance.

"Twenty five percent rebate," he says, smiling like a seller. "On both items, if you want them." He pauses, then adds, "And if you want something else, books, illuminations, whatever, pray let me know. Even if I do not have it here now, I am very good at finding antiques and special rare items. You name it, I will find it. I always keep an eye on what becomes available around."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers hmms and nods, "Hey, that's pretty cool, guess it's got a bit of history too.." she ponders.. "hmm, the crusaders are like holy knights who waged wars in the name of Christianity or something right? Aren't they pretty violent?" she shrugs, suspecting there was a darker side to that story too...

All the same, is she any different, except she fights truly unholy creatures and not innocents just because they have magic..Which is what the hell clown was doing. "Alright, sounds like a good deal..I'll take these two for now..Might check this place out again sometime too.."