She stood outside the walls of the new city before her, the towering walls seemingly imposing at the same time as giving a false sense of security. She knew anything could bring a kingdom down to its knees, but only if they had enough determination. She wouldn't allow anything to lure her into that false sense of total security when there was always a risk, keep your friends close and your enemies closer, as they say. She carried her staff with her, plain robes donning her body with her hood drawn upwards. Her height alone was enough to clue people in on her race, but the purple tinted skin was often gawked at. She didn't care what others thought, and rather thought she was regal herself. She just didn't want to be stopped by the guards, the same old questions only with an extra layer of bite. She could understand their reasoning, enemies often didn't quite look like you did they? Unfortunately, most of the time they did and denial was a cruel but often demanding mistress. She sighed, waiting for others to file in, the questions being repeated over and over again. How boring and dull, she did her turn of course, answering the questions and finally getting within the walls of the towering city.

She stood, taking in the area around her with awe and admiration. She did have to admit the farms outside the walls were quaint and sweet for her to see. The marketplace however, was something to behold. Dust was kicked up and swirling around, people milled about, merchants chanting their throws of why others should buy their products. Horses and carriages pulling through the streets as her own body had to duck and swerve to avoid the heavy traffic , even if the roads could be considered neat they were jam packed with people. As was to be expected of the bustling city, she was by far one of the tallest in the group. It was strange, having seen a bunch of other races mixed into the group she felt as though she still couldn't allow her hood to fall from her face. She would of rather hid her face than allow others to look upon her tinted skin that now glistened with a light layer of sweat. Her robes were thin, not meant for cold weather but the summer heat had gotten to her. She needed to get out of this wretched heat and mass of moving people.

She ducked into one of the ally ways, a river path a few feet away with a gondola drifting languidly down it. A sigh escaped her lips, great, it was less crowded but now there was the problem of her not knowing where she was. Her arm would wipe away the sweat from her upper lip and forehead. What she wouldn't give for a shower and a cold drink, liquor would be just fine for her. She headed down deeper into the ally way, searching for an inn or a simple bar. A few blocks later she would lean against the side of one of the many buildings, a breath escaping her lips. God she was tired, what on earth happened to all the inns? Not to mention she had lost her way to the main path but she wasn't to upset about that, the heat that was there was unbearable and wouldn't quite help the situation. She would simply have to rest there for a moment, gather up her wits, and then head back through the ally ways to find her way back to the main street.

"What did you say?!" echoed through the busy bazaar, drawing the attention of some of the shopkeeps and shoppers to a small stand in the middle, where a silver-haired client looked at the available items on display, advertised as authentic mermaid items. "You can't just walk up to a stall like this and just call them forgeries without proof! So c'mon big guy, what makes you think these things are not authentic?"

"Simple," the silver-haired man replied, picking up one of the many shell bikini tops on display. "You say that mermaids wear these. Would make sense in our society to be covered up as such, but seafolk? They are hard to come by and live within their own small societies. Many of their tales lend to them being quite shy to landfolk such as us, and our kingdom's currency is useless to them. What good does a bunch a silver do them for selling these tops to you to sell to others. And if we look away at the lore," bringing attention to the bindings and string, "Why would they use fabric such as this that sucks so much in keeping together in water? Wouldn't their best option to be seaweed or something?"

The more the silver-haired customer talked, the more veins pulsed from the vendor's head before finally snapping, grabbing the man by the collar, screaming, "ASK THEM YOURSELF!" before chucking him into the river channel that veined through the city, the current pushing him away quick enough for the man to lose sight if the bazaar before he even surfaced.

Breaking the surface of the water, the silver-haired man swam towards the closest edge he could find to pull himself out before even bothering to catch his breath. "Geez, talk about customer service," he said, straining the water out of his hair before checking his person to be sure all important items were not lost in the drink. Spear… check. Fan… check. Bag… check. Good as much as he cared. Pushing himself back to his feet, he took one step forward before realizing the weight the water added. "Great. Guess I Need to let these dry out before I can head out… and there was the rumor of that crystal mine I wanted to check out too…"

Though as he muttered to himself, he noticed a tall figure slink down into one of the numerous alleyways not quite so stealthily. No, it was more of an tired movement than anything else, so quite possibly not someone getting ready to mug someone else. Slogging forward, he saw the figure again, leaned against a wall, attempting to catch breath and maybe cool off. Part of him could blame that cloak for trapping the heat. Another could be a species better suited for colder weather. From where he was, he could not say for sure.

Digging into his bag, he pulled out a small canteen full of water, though he did shake it to see if none of the river water seeped in. Luckily, he heard it swirl, meaning there was a pocket of air. Walking forward, he called out, "Excuse me!" knowing his soggy clothes would hinder any attempt at stealth at all. "You seem like you can use this more than me…" By the time he got to the other's side, he held the canteen out to the other.

The bustling noises of the crowd had all but drowned out any other noise that could have happened, it was like a swarm of irritating flies. What she wouldn't do for someplace quiet where she could actually hear herself think. She peered about, her eyes flickering from one corner to the next as the threat of being mugged for what little she did have crossed her mind. The squishing and sounds of water bogged clothing irritated her even more. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to swim in the river? It was a bit green in color and from what she could tell less than savory things more than likely swam in its depths. Granted she hated swimming in anything but a crystal clear lake surrounded by emerald grasses and towering redwood trees. She would sigh, looking to the man holding out the canteen for her, it was a kind enough gesture and she gladly took it from him. It was as if heaven had decided to flow down her throat. It was decently cool but the hydration was needed, she put the cap back on and would offer it back to him, crossing her arms over her chest as she continued to lean on the wall in the shade. She spoke, offering her gratitude towards the…boy? Or was it a man? She wasn't quite used to humans and their ages, he looked young and almost boyish.

"Thank you, it is very much appreciated."

She would give him a once over with her eyes, a slender eye brow lifting in question. Though her facial expression more than likely wasn't visible, she did she shift her weight to one hip as if to emphasize her point. He was sopping wet, with silver almost white colored hair. She couldn't quite tell if his eyes were hazel or blue, but he was far tanner than she was. He was shorter than her, a key dangling around his next and a bag at his side. He was far different in contrast to her own appearance, his the appearance of an adventurer while she a sorceress. Her own body dawned lilac robes with her hood drawn upwards, soft leather boots upon her feet, a staff with a crystal ball shined to perfection within her hand, and black hair that spilled outwards from underneath her hood on the right. She spoke once more, this time a vauge sense of humor decorating her voice.

"Fancied yourself a swim, did you?"

She would let out a hum, the sign to an inn finally catching her eye, thank the gods! She looked back to the soaking wet boy and spoke, happy to clue him in on her own discovery.

"There is an inn over there, if you have enough coin to help buy a room I'll help you dry your clothes."

She wouldn't allow for him to take a minute to think of his answer before turning on her heel and practically power walking to the inn. She could picture it now, cold drinks, cool air, and a much needed cold shower. She was tired of the dust, tired of the heat, and tired of standing out in the ally way looking like a thug rather than a regal woman. Right down the street was her moment of bliss, it was two stories high with windows and looked sweet and quaint. Flowers grew in the windowsills and it seemed as though it catered to the older folk of the city. She was finally going to have some peace and quiet! She opened the door and nearly cried in relief as the cool air hit her. She would walk up to the bar, finding a kind looking old woman tending it.

"A glass of the hardest liquor you have please, and how much for a room with two beds?"

She would toss a couple coins on top of the bar counter for the woman, coming to sit down at the bar. She would sigh, happy to be off of her feet. The place was dead, only a few older folks littering about in the booths playing cards and what she thought was chess. The bar keep came back, her smile warm and inviting.

"It is 50 for a room dear."

She would wait to see if her accomplice had shown up to pay his half of the bill. A glass of a clear liquid was given to her by the bar keep, it smelled strong and had a cube of ice in it. She sipped it, vodka, a nice strong drink for a hard day. She would lean back, eyes trained on the door as she wondered if she had taken off to fast for the kid to keep up.

A light smile popped onto the explorer's face, glad that the person accepted the offer instead of backing off like he was offering a poison or a drug. Then again, with how much water that was stuck in his clothes, anyone would be able to easily outrun him. When she offered the canteen back with a thanks attached, he replied, "No worries," as he took the canteen back into his bag. The voice was clearly feminine, and the fact was better emphasized when she adjusted herself to look over towards him. The slip of hair and lack of gloves gave shine to her purple-like skin, as if being an embodiment of dusk itself. Though the hood stopped him from seeing her eyes or ears to really confirm this, he had a good bet that this person was possibly a moon elf, or at least some type of nocturnal-based sub-race.

She spoke once more, characterized with a bit of humor and possible sarcasm at his drenched state, in which the monk laughed off himself. "Yeah, a merchant wanted to show me how legit his mermaid items were that he tossed me in the river to hopefully have a fateful encounter with them. Unless you are a mermaid yourself, I doubt his plan worked out that well." Hopefully, if anything, the attention would have been caught to get things checked out. He would hate for other shoppers to get cheated out in forgeries.

However, as he joked about his situation, his new friend suddenly peaked with energy about an inn, telling a bit of the obvious about how he can get cleaned up there, though from he can tell in her voice, she had her own personal objective for it, especially considering how fast she stormed the small place. He could not help but chuckle watching her storm the place so quickly, as if her life journey depended on arriving at the quiet inn. Still, if she still seemed so determined to aid him, h would not leave her. Then again, she was headed to the same place he was anyways.

Though he did slog behind much more than her, his arrival to the small shop was still quite welcomed, especially seeing who was at the counter. "Hey Shandra," he called out to the old woman, walking over to the counter next to the cloaked elf. Completely ignoring he offer and glance of anticipation to help pay for a room, Douken dug into his pockets, dropping off a few coins of damp silver, asking, "You think you can send Joy over to the room to get some early laundry? As you can see, its a bit needed," he told with a light chuckle before looking over at the tall woman. "Oh, and some spare bed sheets tonight. My friend here is pretty low on coin, so I thought I could share a room."

Without even questioning the circumstance (Or maybe getting a different idea, considering her small chuckle), she gave him a nod before accepting the small payment. "She will be up in about ten minutes to get your clothes. You should focus on getting yourself cleaned up."

"Thanks," he said, giving her a smile before turning to the elf. "Cmon, my room is 203, which is right upstairs." Leading her towards and up the stairwell, the explorer walked past the first pair of doors before heading towards the next door on the left. Opening it up, he said, "After you," letting her inside first before stepping in himself. It was a simple room. Single full-sized bed, a small chair and table, and a window that gazed out to the market area. There was also another door which led to the bathroom, where he was headed for already. "If a young girl in her mid-teens shows up with pink strands in her hair suddenly walks in the room, let her be. Its just Shandra's granddaughter coming to grab the soaked clothes. Now go ahead and make yourself comfy as I get a bit cleaned up." With the closing to the bathroom door, the echo of the shower soon filled the room as Douken tossed his soaked belonging into the basket before getting cleaned up himself.

Apparently he was able to catch up, funny how one boy was so determined to keep up with a stranger. Even more promising was the fact that when he came in, calling the bar keep Shandra. She let out a soft hum, watching the exchange as she to tossed a few coins onto the counter to pay for her half of the bill and sipped at her drink. She was a strong drinker herself, the small drink of vodka not nearly enough to get a buzz going. She would stand, her feet screaming in protest as she followed the boy, the room of 203 already being memorized. She followed, counting the doors and how far she had gone up to get to their room. The golden letters painted upon the door, they were softly chipped and she made sure to be careful and not get a splinter stuck within her hand as she touched the door frame as she walked past the open door. Her cobalt eyes would scan the room, ears alert for any signs danger within the walls. Finding none she would sit upon the bed, listening as the boy said he was to go clean himself up. She watched longingly as he took the cold shower she so desperately wanted first. She decided to make herself at home for the night first, allowing her hood to fall from her face. She shook out her hair, letting it part off to her right shoulder and feeling it frame her face. A sigh escaped her lips as she drew in a deep breath, her bag at her hip. She walked over to the small table and placed her staff upon it. Next came her bag along with her drink, after which she opened her bag and did a count of what all was there, trying to make sure she hadn't lost anything of importance.

Mana potion, Antidote, Emerald, lacriamium, corundum, and a small bolt of silk. She sighed happily, everything was there and accounted for. Now all she wanted was a cool shower. She sat at the table now, drink in hand as she watched the market place from the window. It was still so busy, even though midday was nearly over. She wondered if any festivities were happening during the night, perhaps she could attend one? or at least buy herself some armor and a riding horse. She leaned back into her chair, crossing her legs and leaning her head back with her eyes closed. She was tired, but the boy seemed to know his way around. A shower could wait until the evening, she needed to get some armor and a riding horse and find herself a job. Either as a sorceress or simply washing dishes, something to get her a start. Though she would have preferred a good hunt of demons or monsters in favor of practicing her fire abilities she wouldn't object to a little labor. She felt a yawn coming on, and covered her mouth before downing the last of her drink. God, it was still hot outside wasn't it?

Her ears twitched slightly, hearing the girls footsteps before she made it to the door. Her cobalt eyes would turn to the door with a harsh stare, hand gripping her staff and glass being placed on the counter. The door opened to reveal a young girl with pink within her hair, Joy, the bar keeps granddaughter. She relaxed, placing her staff back down on the table and grabbed her glass which now had ice water within it from the melting cube and downed what was there. Her eyes would flicker back over to the young girl as she collected the basket without a word and left, looking more exasperated rather than scared. She wouldn't blame the poor girl, after all, it was a more than likely common reaction from people such as herself. Sorcerers, mages, paladins, rangers, soldiers, assassins, pretty much anything that wielded a blade for coin always watched their backs and hardly ever trusted anyone. After all, your closest friend could easily become you contract or worst enemy, how were you supposed to bring your blade down then? It was simple yet increasingly frustrating, she decided not to dwell on it to much and instead would focus more on waiting for the boy to get out of the shower. She needed to figure out if he knew where to grab some armor and a riding horse.

After a short time of Joy leaving did the sound of running water turn off, returning the room to that of the outdoor ambience for a moment as Douken ran a towel through his hair and body, before dressing himself once more and returning to the main room where his new companion rested. This time, though the silver-haired explorer was dressed very simply: a simple white shirt and blue shorts. If anything, he still kept the key necklace he had early along with the short sleeve shirt showing off scars left on his arm.

"Sorry for the wait," he told her, looking down on where the basket used to be. "Seems Joy was here at least. Anyways, the shower is yours if you want it," he told her, tossing a fresh towel towards her before taking a nearby cloth to work on drying off his weapons. "Man, and I just got this shaft switched out, too," he muttered to himself, before letting off a small sigh.

Although before she could close the wall between the bathroom and here, he did bring up, "You know, I aided you and led you to my room to rest for the night, and yet we never bothered with introductions. Makes me feel a bit like an idiot." Pushing himself back up to his feet, he rested his spear on his shoulder before walking up to the tall moon elf before holding his arm out, telling her, "The name is Douken. Its a pleasure to meet you."

The sound of running water soon shut off and she peered out of the window, waiting for the boy to finish taking care of himself. She heard the door open, the wood creaking on its battered hinges. She turned to look at him, cobalt eyes calculating as she took in his new appearance. A simple white shirt and blue shorts, the key necklace visible around his neck. Scars decorated the boys left arm and she looked at them curiously, not one to pry however she remained silent, allowing him to speak. She easily caught the towels that were tossed to her and she folded them neatly, placing them beneath her bag. She looked over to him as he muttered something about changing the shaft of his weapon. She couldn't help but let out a breath through her nose of laughter. She stood as he spoke of introducing one an other and looked at him as he came forward, hand outstretched. She took it, albeit hesitantly, and shook his hand. She spoke, her voice slightly monotonous as for once someone didn't look at her strangely for her skin tone.

"Amra, Amra Kelric, pleased to meet you."

She turned to grab her staff, lifting her bag onto her hip and would speak to the boy, wanting her questions from before answered.

"Do you know the area well? I'm looking for a place to buy armor and a riding horse."

She would draw her hood back up, dunking back the last of the melted ice cube and went about straightening out her clothing. She would grab the towels and walk to the bathroom, hanging them on the towel rack. She would go about her business of gathering up the things she would need before going out. Hunger wasn't a main issue for her, she had eaten just before she had entered the city and was determined to fry a few rabbits with her fire magic for dinner. No need to waste coin on food you could easily secure on your own, especially when she had seen someone complaining about a pesky rabbit issue as she crossed into the city. If she played her cards right she could secure herself a meal along with some extra coin by selling the fresh meat. She would tan the hides herself and keep them, they made for a wonderful material when winter clothing was needed. She planned on heading up north, along with preparing for winter months. She checked her wallet, enough coin for armor and a riding horse, the extra coin from selling furs and meat would do her well. She could always kill a wolf, or better yet, a bear for fur clothing. She would speak to him, wondering if he too needed a way to gain quick coin.

"There is also an easy job I heard about earlier, up for hunting rabbits? Their meat and fur sells for a decent price, not to forget they'll become dinner for tonight. Cash reward for whoever can take care of their little pest problem, just outside city walls. It shouldn't take to much effort, and you look as though you could use a riding horse."

She would head to the door, her hand on the knob as she looked to him with a questioning look before speaking.

"Coming along? Even if you don't know the area I'm sure we'll make our way around."

"A place to buy?" Douken mused, cupping his chin as he spun his finger through the air, as if pointing to invisible items in the air. "The armorsmith would be your most reliable place for armor, obviously. i think there is one in the marketplace, though I think the one in the military district would be more reliable. Then again, you may be able to get a good deal in the bazaar if you want something more exotic or unique, but the odds of counterfeits are there as well. Got to be careful there.

"As for horses, I think the stables are on the outskirts of the… east side of town? Or was it South? One of those two. Course, a good, well trained steed will not be cheap, and don't expect me to help with that long term investment." That last piece was stapled with a small chuckle, as if to tell her that knew she wasn't expecting him to help pay for it.

Watching her pull her hood up, as if to hide herself once more, she went on to do more preparation than settling. Well, then again, it was not like she was tossed into a drink like he was, so she was in no real rush to call it a day. Then she finally spoke up, actually telling him about a potential job she ran across for a bit of quick coin. That… would explain things. To be fair, he did pick up odd jobs while wandering about, so it was too be expected, and it sounded simple enough.

"Alright, but let's try to make it a quick job," he told her, walking over to the rest were the battle fan rested, flapping it open before waving any remaining water out before slipping it back closed again. "I learned the hard way that they close the gates at night, and entry inside gets even harder to get accepted. Can't say I know why of such paranoia, but its clearly something to keep its citizens safe." Sliding the fan into a small sheath before looping it into his belt, he took his spear in hand and rested it in his shoulder. "I'd say we can hold off on any armor before we get back. Our biggest threat would be a wolf or coyote, if the job is to take care of some rabbits. After that, we can come back in, shop for the rest of your items and celebrate a good hunt all before a night's rest."

Standing by next to her, he told her, "Lead the way."

She listened as he spoke, her ears giving a soft twitch at the sound of his laughter. What had become funny of that? So what, he wasn't going to buy her horse, she already figured that and had enough coin for the extra necessities. His weapon was a strange one, a fan that seemed to be made of blades. She would have preferred a whip, her old one having been ruined in a thunderstorm after it had slipped partially out of her bag. She hadn't felt that frustrated at herself in a long time and was glad for that, especially with how clumsy she tended to be with her own staff it was almost a wonder on how the crystal at the end of it hadn't been completely destroyed. She lead the way at his prompting, no words escaping her lips. Her pace was swift, legs moving quickly and stretching slightly farther than a normal gait. Her height did have some advantages, especially her being mostly legs. The streets were just as warm as before, but the people had seemingly have grown in numbers as they got off of work or finished taking care of their households. She made her way past people, staff used to lean on when she herself had gotten slightly shoved as people milled about. Sweat began to bead up upon her lips and forehead, she wiped it away and dust stuck to her body from the footsteps. She avoided a few carriages as well as few spare riders who looked as exhausted as she did. Finally after a good half hour of walking she made it back to the walls, holding onto her pass from the guards she moved through the gate. She would pause for a moment, catching her breath before heading towards the farm just outside the walls.

The farmer had still be shouting for the rabbits to get out of there as she appeared in front of the gate to his property. She looked at the six rabbits running to and fro as the farmer chased them about. Her hands crossed over her chest as she watched the spectacle, clearing her throat in order to gain his attention. The farmer turned towards her, his beefy body lumbering towards her with his pudgy face beet red and sweaty. It was a revolting sight to someone like her, she prided herself on decent manners and keeping an appearance up. He spoke, his voice hoarse from the yelling he had been doing just moments before.

"Hey! If the guards sent you 'ere tell 'em to stick those spears of theirs where the sun don't shine! I haven't been able to chase these darn rabbits off and I don't need a stuck up elf like yer'self to come mouth off for 'em!"

She stood there, stone faced with her weight shifted to one hip and arms crossed over her chest. This wasn't the first time she had been yelled at and it wasn't going to be the last. Heads turned when he screamed out that she was an elf, the mages staff at her side only confirming others suspicions. The guards looked ready to come break the two up as if they were already locked within a fist fight. She spoke, her voice calm and even despite the anger she could feel bubbling underneath her own skin.

"Actually I was here to help with the rabbit issue, along with an accomplice of mine."

The farmer looked embarrassed but still enraged, he pointed an accusatory finger at her and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out as he apparently thought of his ability to deal with the rabbits himself compared to those with weapons. He spoke, obviously not trusting her fully.

''There's six of the vermin, but I ain't payin' you until you get rid of 'em all!"

He left to more than likely cool off after opening the gate for her, instead of dealing with rabbits she would wait for a moment as she tried to figure out the best way of dealing with the rabbits. her electricity magic would work well, seeing as they would't fry the pelts as much as her fire would. Her mind wandered, letting her loose herself within her mind as she planned out what she was going to do.

Despite Amra's long legs giving her a n advantage in getting around, Douken was able to keep good track of her. Part of it was thanks to learning to control his pace, while the other was the thick crowd slowing their movement towards the gate. Still, the young explorer had to make sure his spear tip was upwards as the shaft rested lightly on his shoulders. It would be bad to cut someone as he was headed out of the city, even if it was an accident. Many people seemed to have agreed, considering the extra step away they kept themselves from the sharp object. Flashing his pass to the guards as well, he did get the firm warning of being careful on staying out too long. Hopefully, that would  not be an issue, considering they were hunting hares, not bears. The job should hardly eat up any sun.

Sure enough, as the pair arrived out to the farm, the plump farmer was trying his hardest to frisk away the animals with little to no avail on one as five others were wandering about, a couple of them munching down on his crops. Certainly not the best of days, especially if he had been at it all day. "I bet they would enjoy something a bit fresher," he muttered to himself as the farmer got around to badgering them about expecting to be badgered by the local guards. Holding his left hand out, he muttered a few, simple words, controlling the aether around him. he drew in from the sources around him, collecting up natural energy before forging himself a fresh head of lettuce. It was not something he would call a meal for himself, but for the rabbits, he expected them to enjoy it maybe a bit more.

Tossing the head out into the open, the explorer flipped his spear around in his fingers, moving the tip down to earth before hoisting the weapon more parallel and then some, the tip aimed more towards the sky. Then, after holding his left hand up in the shape of an L, he shifted his feet and position to ready himself, staring down the head of lettuce he placed inside the internal vision of the L.

"Don't you mean five?" Douken asked the farmer, watching one of the rabbits taking the bait he threw out, nibbling away at the fresh head. With a firm step forward, he flung his spear into the air, holding his pose after the weapon left his hands while his eyes tracked it down before watching it impale the rabbit before him. Drawing out the metal fan into his left hand, he gave the old man a simple salute, tipping his fan towards him from his forehead before darting forward towards the other hares before them.