Closed Old Friend, New Tricks (Solin)

[Wanda Endust]

Nettle District
Summer 12th, 513AV
15th Bell

It was hot, Wanda was sure of that. Summer was her favorite season for no reason other than the fact that she got away with dressing as lightly as she pleased. That is, it was typically her favorite season. But it was simply too hot today, and if she shed any more clothing she'd likely be apprehended for indecency.

It's too hot for these crowds. The streets were bustling, some folks getting off from work early while others shouted above the din to hawk their goods. Why are there so many people out and about? she griped to herself. So many! Of course, the streets were no more crowded than they'd always been. A sweaty middle-aged man jarringly bumped into Wanda as they followed the flow of traffic, and one look at the young blonde was enough to cut short the lame apology on his lips.

But it wasn't simply the stifling heat and crowds that had Wanda in a ticked mood. It'd simply been a bad day all around for the girl, beginning with the realization that she didn't like her job after all.

It was Wanda's first day off from work -- from a job she'd been pining for for roughly two years. And she'd felt relieved. Relieved. Relieved to not have to wake up and go to a job she was already bored of. Just a few days ago, she couldn't wait to get to work. Was she really already disenchanted with her dream job? Over the past few seasons, Wanda had developed a kind of idealized vision of how working as a masseuse would be. But she never imagined how horribly tedious it could be to sit there and wait entire bells for customers to request her services.

And it was her own relief for a day off that had started her day off poorly. Her source of income wasn't everything she had hoped it would be. C'mon, she had told herself. It's not that bad. And, honestly, it wasn't. At least she had a job, which was more than some folks could claim. But she was a hormonal teen who needed excitement in her life, and reality had fallen short of her expectations.

From her realization, Wanda's day had gone downhill. Nothing too big 'n horrible -- a stubbed toe here, a spilled drink there -- but it had all kind of accumulated. Not to mention her mother's condition, which continued to grow worse day by day despite her best efforts.

What she could really use as she aimlessly trudged through the streets was a friend, a familiar face, someone to reel her back into her usual cheery state.

With a resigned sigh, Wanda weaved her way to the bank of the river of people, slowing her pace. "Fine day, isn't it?" A shopkeeper asked as Wanda passed, trying to strike up a conversation. She turned, readying a curtly polite "no thanks" in case the fellow tried to pawn anything off on her. But the man -- a balding, fellow with a couple teeth missing -- sported a simple, content smile and waved her on, leaving Wanda feeling a tad ashamed for pouting like she was.

OOCSorry this isn't my best writing! I was mostly super-tired. :/

[Solin]

“If you keep getting yourself beaten up Solin, the cut to your chest will never heal. Also, how did you cut your chest again?” Inwardly, Solin rolled his eyes knowing the doctor was quite a nosy fellow. The kelvic just shook his head and said slowly, “As I told you a couple days before, I got cut in a cooking accident.” Solin figured the doctor would just get annoyed at the runaround with his crazy explanations and eventually give up on his inquiry.The doctor raised his eyebrow and asked with confusion in his voice, “So you cook with your shirt off?” Feeling the sharp hot needle puncture his skin, Solin clenched his teeth as the doctored started to stitch his wound. Clenching the side of the chair, Solin replied to his question between clenched teeth, “No, I actually cook naked, but I should give you advice if you try it. When you are working with oil, you need to make sure you agile, so you don't get splattered in the tender places.” The doctor just shook his head and said slightly defeated, “You are a strange man, Solin Valhir.” Solin laughed out loud causing pain to shoot through his chest and said when the pain subsided, “I heard that once or twice before, so it must be true if I heard it a third time.” Honestly, the kelvic could careless what the human thought of him, so he decided to stay quiet until the examination was finished. When the doctor finished up bandage up his chest, Solin put on his chest and said while he was buttoning up his shirt, “Thank you for your assistance, Doctor.” The doctor put away his equipment and waved him off, “Please pay at the door and remember to take it easy for the next few weeks till your chest wound heals.” Buttoning the last button, Solin looked at the doctor and said with a nod, “Alright, I will avoid the fighting pits for the next couple weeks.”

Solin left the Soothing Water, and he could definitely tell the city was unseasonably warm today, so he unbuttoned his chest to try to cool off, and he strolled into the Nettle District. The streets were bustling with people going about their daily business, so the sounds and smell of all the humans in one area were quite overwhelming, but unlike the time he first arrived in Syliras. He wasn't going to panic like a new born pup again. As Solin walked through the street, he received a few strange glances from people passing by, but when their eyes moved to his sword at his hip, they tended to quiet their criticism of him. In honestly, Solin purposely tried to go unnoticed in the city because he knew the knights always tend to get grumpy when somebody disturbed the peace. As he walked down the street, he heard a few peddlers try to interest in a few of their wears, but he just gave them a smile and waved them off. He had no reason for jewelry or fine pottery, so he just walked past their stands and continued on his way through the crowds. When Solin got to the flower stand, he noticed a beautiful blond girl walking towards him who looked familiar, so the kelvic had to stop and watch her for a moment to get a better look at her. Solin decided it would not be a good idea to stand in the middle of the street and watch the girls as she passed him, so he decided to hide around the corner of the flower stand and watch her without being seen. Solin knew her met her before when he was younger, but his mind was drawing a blank at the moment when he tried to remember her name.

Suddenly, Solin heard a woman's voice behind him say with a hint of amusement in her voice, “The young woman is definitely pretty, but I am surprised that a handsome young man like you has to hide behind my stand like a stalker to look at a pretty girl like her.” Hiding behind a pot gladiolus, Solin jumped about one foot into the air and whirled around on the old woman. He could feel the warmth starting to rise up his neck and to his cheeks and said trying to be quiet, “I am not a stalker! I am just trying to remember her name without gawking at her like a idiot in the middle of the street.” The woman still had the annoying twinkle in her eyes said with a bright smile, “Well if you are not her stalker than I guess I was wrong. However, let me see if I can help your courage with a nice floral arrangement for the young woman.” Solin ran his hands through his hair in frustration and said bluntly, “How will flowers help me talk to a girl?” The woman laughed out loud, turned around, and patted him on the cheek, “Ah...to be young and naïve, you'll just have to trust a old lady intuition right now.”

Solin followed the middle aged woman around the booth with a look of confusion on his face, “You are not making any sense! Wait you haven't answered my question.” The old woman started to pluck a arrangement of yellows, red, and purple flowers from her collection, and she went behind the stand and started to arrange in a pink paper. Solin put his hands on the counter just watching the old lady conduct do her floral arrangement, and he had to admit the human knew what she was doing. When she was finished, she handed the flowers to him and said with a smile, “All you have to do is walk over to her and say hello, and of course, you need to give her the flowers to break the ice.” Solin raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, “Ice...what is she talking about? It is summer!” Solin took the flower arrangement from her and said with a shake of his head, “You are a crafty lady...” The woman gave him a innocent smile.

Solin still didn't understand the reason for the flowers, but he figured it must be a human custom. The kelvic walked towards the young woman and noticed the blond girl seemed either upset or annoyed at the moment, and he wondered if she would even want to talk to him. Suddenly, he remembered the girls name started with a W and her surname started with a E. Solin started to mull over the different name combinations in his head as he tried to figure out which was the correct name. Eventually he finally remembered the young woman's name. When the kelvic got closer to her, he decided to call out to her, “Wanda? Wanda Endust! Do you remember me? It is Solin.” Solin never liked calling attention to himself, but the young man had a few people watching him and muttering to themselves as he stood their with the bouquet of flowers in hand. Solin noticed a human in her twenties look at her the male human next to her, and she smacked him in the arm and stalked off. Solin glanced over at them, and he turned his attention back to Wanda and just gave her a awkward smile.

ReceiptI am unsure on the prices and at either location.

Price of the medical treatment at the Soothing Waters for the injuries suffered in threads [Bronze Woods] IV. Unleashed and [The Anthonius Fighter's Pit] Hit the Dirt

Price of flowers bouquet at Flower Stand

[Wanda Endust]

Turning away from the old man, Wanda continued down the street. It is a fine day, she resolved, brow furrowing in renewed determination. I'm going to have fun, she decided, whether I want to or not.

But where was she even headed? She hadn't set out with any plans in mind than to simply walk around. There was always something to do in Syliras, that she knew. The problem was that you couldn't always find what there was to do. Of course, there were the obvious places -- the shops, the bazaar -- but she'd visited the regular places so many times in her life. She'd even managed to explore a large portion of the sprawling city since her childhood.

Yes, the city was a bustling center of life, but after a while it gave the illusion of being simply mundane.

Ah, but that was no way to keep up her enthusiasm! C'mon! Wanda urged herself as she turned onto a busier street. I know you can find something to do 'round here.

The Fighter's pit, perhaps? Wanda considered it for a moment, frowning slightly. She hadn't been to the pits in quite a while -- and with good reason. She wasn't scared of blood or anything like that, per se. But she honestly didn't see any point in watching people hurt each other. It was just so... Childish, she settled. It wasn't the exact word she was searching for, but it was close enough to how she felt about the whole thing.

A twinge ran up Wanda's spine as she hesitated for a moment. Was she being watched? A small group of boys younger than herself traipsed past, and the sensation vanished as quickly as it'd risen.

Anyway, the pits were so far away from where she was. Relatively speaking. She'd been meandering about all day -- she didn't want to have to walk any farther than had to for entertainment. But here, she was surrounded by shops. And she did have a source of income now...

I guess I could use some new clothes, Wanda mused, eyeing a nearby tailor's shop as she fidgeted with her own worn dress. Or maybe she should go ahead and pick up something to wear in the Fall and Winter seasons? Would stores even have heavier clothes in stock yet? Surely not. But you never know...

She was about to take a step towards the clothing shop in her sights when she heard her name called. Reflexively, she turned and cast a look over her shoulder at whoever had addressed her, a questioning "Yeees?" ready on her surprised lips.

Her eyes collided with those of a familiar-looking young man. His fair hair glinted in Syna's light, and Wanda recognized him as the fellow she bought her breakfast from yesterday morning. "Do you need something?" Confusion flashed across her mind -- and her face -- as she peered at the man. What could he possibly have to tell her? They hadn't even held a proper conversation before.

But the man furrowed his brow in response. "Wasn't me," he replied coolly. His hand raised as he pointed with his thumb towards an area somewhere just over his shoulder. "That guy called ya."

"Ah, sorry!" came her hasty apology as she waved him on. The fellow shook his head and continued on down the road while Wanda's gaze slid over to where he'd gestured. In his place stood a tall, gangling boy probably about the same age as she was, though he was a good bit taller.

"Wanda? Wanda Endust! Do you remember me? -- "

After a couple split-ticks of simply standing there, Wanda finally realized: Oh! I know him. From somewhere... she chewed at her lip, trying to rack her memory. From a couple years ago, right? Her eyes suddenly widened in realization. The wolf-boy? Yeah! But what was his name? Satin? Pfft, no. Collin? No, she knew it rhymed with something. Foldin'? Uh. Stolen?

" -- It is Solin."

"Of course! Solin!" she chimed cheerily. Yep, she'd known it was him! Sort of.

Anyway, an old friend was exactly what she'd been yearning for moments ago. Even if that old friend happened to be someone she hadn't seen in years. "Wow," she recovered, "I almost didn't recognize you." The small crowd on the street parted around the pair as Wanda made her way across the short distance towards the kelvic, returning his smile easily. It certainly was bizarre, seeing someone you know after such a long time away.

He was grasping something, she realized. With a quick glance at the bouquet, she flashed a grin and a wink. "Looks like you're meeting up with someone later?" It was a statement, but asked as if it were a question. He must've caught sight of me on his way to dinner or something, she guessed. But it's still a bit early out, isn't --

Her train of thought was suddenly thrown off as her gaze registered the bandages encompassing Solin's uncovered chest. "Hey!" she exclaimed suddenly, concern etching itself onto her features as she prodded the wounded area with a gentle hand. "What'd you get yourself into?"

[Orion Michaels]

Waaaaanda +1 Observation +1 Socialization lore : Solin: Wolf-Boy from the past notes Not much here, but hope. sorry to see a bonding thread unfinished. Let me know if you have any questions, and please edit your request in the grading queue.