[Surya Plaza] Looking for work [open]

by **Rivaal** on July 6th, 2011, 5:49 am

Rivaal had a spear on his back, and only so much money. He'd come to Lhavit seeking something different, and different he'd found. It took him three days to figure out he was only going to get housing at night, and another couple of weeks to get used to the schedule. It had taken years to get even this far, having to work off passage, and so when he finally got his life in order, he had no idea where he was going - in life anyway.

The Surya Plaza had attracted him from the moment he first figured out what it was. Entertainment, stories, culture, life! Everything he wanted was there, except work. Sure he was trying to work his way through the place, but he kept getting distracted. He was on his way to look for a job. The local guard had to be hiring. A man with a spear, and with a solid grasp of Flux magic was bound to be useful.

He'd registered with the Wizard Registry not long before. That provided him with some rank, but that wasn't enough to get him a pay check. He sighed, and his neutral gray eyes glanced around. A couple of kids ran past, laughing, and his eyes flickered green for a moment, and then cooled to a calm blue. As a Vantha, mood changing eyes were a benefit and a curse. It was a great warning to back off, but sometimes he felt it gave too much away. Looking up he tried to find the stars, but there was too much light. With a frown, he continued to press on, knowing he had to go find work, else he'd be on the streets in a few weeks.

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 6th, 2011, 5:59 am

Arev's ear twitched slightly as she sniffed the night air, even though she was back in her humanoid form. She missed having a tail. The huntress had come a long way from her home in the wilderness, but she already knew she was going to enjoy the city. There were so many people, so many smells. Quiver bumping against her hip, she moved through the crowd with lupine grace, desperately fighting down the urge to swivel her ears for better reception of sound. Even for a Kelvic, she spent a lot of time in her wolf form.

She caught a unique smell, a stranger like her--not far, either. Vantha? Something from the cold places. Arev approached curiously, head cocked slightly. He seemed to be watching the younglings run about. She understood the fascination. The Kelvic half wanted to run after them and roll around on the cobblestones.

It was probably for the best that she was finally in civilized country.

by **Rivaal** on July 6th, 2011, 6:10 am

Rivaal had no mark of adulthood, though he was definitely an adult by Vantha standards. Having left before he could receive his gnosis mark, he was unable to return home, not that he wanted to. Still, it was summer and despite the cool night, the warmth wasn't comfortable. He shook off the discomfort and looked around. It was easier to find his way around in the day, but no one was awake, and so now he was turned around again since each mountain looked like the last to the newcomer.

He wondered if he could ask for directions, and realized he had no idea who to ask. Maybe there was a guard around. He turned around and saw a girl staring at him. He backed up a step as his eyes turned a pale green as fear/surprise yellow transitioned to peaceful green. His dark hair looked blue in the light, occasionally showing hints of green, the aurora hair of a Vantha. "Can I help you?"

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 6th, 2011, 6:19 am

Arev blinked, realizing she'd been caught. She leaned in slightly, sniffing. It was a curious smell. "You remind me of wind," she said casually, before realizing how strange that probably sounded. "I mean...sorry. I didn't mean to stare."

She ran her fingers through her dark hair, cocking her head again to study him. This city was full of strange creatures and stranger smells. It was hard to find her way in the maze of scents, many fascinating while others were repulsive. She caught a whiff of meat from somewhere. Her stomach grumbled and twinged, reminding her that she was long overdo a meal.

by **Rivaal** on July 6th, 2011, 6:25 am

Rivaal laughed. "I'm not sure about wind. I can't even do that kind of magic. Maybe it's just the north. I hear some people say that some part of your home always stays with you. The cold winds probably left something on me."

He paused and glanced around through the crowds of people. "Did I hear your stomach growl? Haven't you got any money? There's all sorts of shops here, if you can find them." That made him pause. "I still have no idea where to go to sign up for the local guard."

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 6th, 2011, 6:30 am

"I have some coin," Arev said, turning her golden eyes back to the crowd. "I've seen many shops, but no guard sign up. I doubt they would take me, so I suppose I haven't looked." She inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. "I can smell food. What about you? Do you have money?" She had no idea what else to ask him.

by **Rivaal** on July 6th, 2011, 6:41 am

Rivaal nodded. "Yeah, but I have food at home too," home being a small 1 room cottage in town, as it was all he could afford, "and don't need to spend more coin on that. He could smell the delicacies in the air, tempting him to spend some of his limited funds for the gratification of something that wasn't his cooking. To be fair, he could cook, but he wasn't a professional.

He noticed that awkward feeling come up; the one where you just meet someone, and have no idea what to say. Still, she seemed a bit lost in the city, like he was, and the food was tempting. He'd learned quickly, that any meat sold here was mostly produced by immigrants to the city. The locals didn't care much for lots of it, and so only others could cater to the big appetites of travelers and new residents. "Did you want to get some food?" To the fire with it. It wouldn't hurt to have a little fun.

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 6th, 2011, 6:50 am

Arev grinned wolfishly. "Of course. Are you offering to come?" Still, she wasn't sure how long she could stay in a city without lots of meat. Maybe by hunting outside the walls?

She followed the most appealing scent, one that sang to her senses of spices and red, juicy meat. Within minutes, she'd easily located a small stand selling heaping bowls of...something. It looked like some kind of roast meat chunks rolled in pepper, salt, and foreign seasonings. Arev looked slightly miffed. It was wonderful, but why did they cook away all that flavor? She wanted it red inside, still delicious.

The Kelvic fished out a few coins, buying one bowl for herself and one for her new acquaintance. Cooked meat was still a world better than all these damn fruits. "So what brings you to this place?" she asked the Vantha curiously, taking a seat on a low stone ledge out of the way of traffic.

by **Rivaal** on July 7th, 2011, 2:25 am

Rivaal was going to make a comment about needing to find work, but they were off. The people blurred past, and he followed. He really needed to find work. If the girl hadn't seemed so lost and confused, he'd have probably passed her off, but he felt that way sometimes, especially a few days ago.

When he suddenly found a bowl in his hands, he wasn't sure how to respond. She hadn't needed to pay for him too. Now he felt guilty. She was probably as tight on coin as he was. His eyes fell to a deep blue. She said something. It took a moment before he gave in to it not registering in his mind and asked her to repeat it, blaming the crowded night streets.

"I spent quite a few years wandering around on a caravan studying and working for my passage. I figured I could learn a few things here, but finding a teacher's harder than it looks. I think I've reached my limit for studying on my own, and I need a job to make ends meet sooner than later." He sighed. "What about you?"

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 7th, 2011, 2:38 am

"I don't know," Arev said with a little bit of a shrug. "I had nowhere else to go. I have been wandering for a long time now." She wolfed down the spiced meat like a starving woman, ignoring the heat. As soon as she was finished--only a minute or two later--she licked her lips contently. "It's hard to be on my own. I enjoy the company of others."

She looked up at him, cocking her head slightly again. "Are you alone here? You seem like you have no one else here." She sounded sympathetic. After all, she knew well what it was like to be without a pack. Vantha had packs, didn't they? "That food is very good. I think I'll come back to that stall later."