[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190120/b458a81531631a6916fa9413063c5f80.png[/img][/center][right][sub] Interacting with: [@Hero][/sub][/right] Stepping out of the tattoo parlor, Aaron’s right hand was already exploring the new addition to his body, ever-so-gently prodding and pulling at his earring. The sensation of pulling on something [i]embedded in his skin[/i] was bizarre to say the least, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was acutely aware of the earring as he started walking down the street, as it swung and swayed with every step. Probably by design, he mused bitterly; not only did the earring tell everyone else who he belonged to, it wouldn’t even let Aaron himself forget. ‘Dedication’ indeed. The next door down the street - the one that other mage had ducked into, Aaron realized - belonged to what looked like an art store, if the shelves lined with paint, brushes and other tools were any indication. From the window he could also see a section filled with some of the strangest furniture he’d ever seen in his life; from this angle he couldn’t see much, but he swore there was a lamp covered in little red sailboats. It was garish beyond all reason and Aaron had no idea what sort of person would own such a thing, but it was also strangely endearing, or at least in the way that a stumbling newborn colt was endearing. The store’s walls bore artwork in various styles, all with little placards indicating they were for sale. Aaron couldn’t see the prices at this distance, and truth be told, he had no idea how much they’d sell for anyway. Some of them surely couldn’t fetch much, but there was one or two he could see that might be worth… something. He was staring quizzically at one depiction of stones in a river when a figure passed behind the glass, a woman in an embroidered apron poring over a clipboard. She must have noticed him through the window, because she turned and gave him a friendly smile and a wave, getting a much more bashful one in return before Aaron hurried out of the window and farther on down the street. The next building was the alchemist’s shop he’d noticed earlier; its windows were packed with various potted plants on hanging shelves, as well as small bottles of things Aaron didn’t recognize, powders and liquids in all sorts of colours. Through the plants Aaron could see a sign advertising “Modern Medicines”. As if on cue, his headache from the arena twinged, not having gone away on its own like Aaron hoped it would. The alchemist’s shop was the last on this side of the street before the town gave way back to the forest, so Aaron crossed the street, not particularly concerned with the apothecary for the moment. Directly across from it was a bookstore with a display centred around a fashion book, and next to it was something Aaron swore was ripped straight out of an old movie. It was a diner, in the purest sense of the word, with a colourful retro exterior and benches bearing mages and turned alike, eating ice cream and chatting amicably. One looked up as Aaron approached the entrance, eyeing his outfit, but paid him little mind and returned to her conversation with little more than a glance. The interior was just as retro as the exterior, walls lined with booths and a bar at the centre, edges and barstools trimmed in stainless steel. A few customers sat on the stools with either food or coffee in front of them and a lone employee stood behind the bar, back turned with a messy knot in his apron strings on display as he refilled the grounds in a heavy-duty coffee machine. Aaron stepped in curiously, simultaneously surprised and charmed by the little bell on the door that announced his arrival, but realized as soon as he entered that he had no idea what to do. Luckily, he wasn’t at a loss for long. The employee behind the bar, a staggeringly tall, thin mage with messy black hair and tired green eyes, turned around at the sound of the bell, offering Aaron a muted smile. [color=8BC388]“Evenin’. What can I get for you?”[/color] Aaron approached the bar, earning an odd look from the employee toward his scabbard. He had only intended to look around, but wasn’t it rude to decline an offer? [color=f0d705]“Oh, just water please,”[/color] he replied politely, doing his best to pretend he wasn’t totally caught off guard. He figured he could at least take his painkillers. He usually didn’t like taking medication, but he was pretty sure they’d be out of his system by the time Varis fed tomorrow evening, so it was probably fine. The employee nodded and turned back around, although as soon as he did, Aaron realized the flaw in his plan. [color=f0d705]“Oh, wait, I’m sorry, I don’t have any money with me,”[/color] he hurried out, leaving out the part where he didn’t have any money anywhere else either. The employee raised a suspicious eyebrow as he turned back, placing a full glass on the bar in front of Aaron. [color=8BC388]“No problem, it’s just water.”[/color] [color=f0d705]“Oh,”[/color] Aaron raised his own eyebrows, accepting the glass. [color=f0d705]“Thank you.”[/color] The employee eyed Aaron as he fished out his painkillers and swallowed them, barely containing a smirk. [color=8BC388]“You’re new to this, aren’t you?”[/color] Aaron shrugged. [color=f0d705]“Yeah, it’s my first year at the Academy.”[/color] [color=8BC388]“Not the Academy,”[/color] the employee corrected, gesturing around at the diner. [color=8BC388]“To all of this.”[/color] Aaron’s ears turned red, and he gave the left one a bashful tug. [color=f0d705]“Is it that obvious?”[/color] The employee chuckled, gesturing at Aaron’s scabbard. [color=8BC388]“It’s not the hardest guess, no.”[/color] Aaron followed his gaze, tapping his pommel. Somehow he hadn’t expected it to draw so much attention; it wasn’t rare at home for mages to be armed, after all. Then again, it also wasn’t rare to bow and be respectful either, but apparently that was a foreign concept to a lot of the people here as well. [color=f0d705]“Ah, sorry.”[/color] The employee shrugged, taking Aaron’s empty glass and depositing it on a washing rack. [color=8BC388]“No worries,”[/color] he assured the blond, moving some things around that Aaron couldn’t see. [color=8BC388]“I’m subbing for someone else tonight. As far as I’m concerned, you’re just a regular I’ve never met.”[/color] Aaron smiled and thanked the employee as he left, earning a grin and a wink in return. As soon as he stepped back out onto the sidewalk, his phone and watch buzzed in tandem, displaying a message from Lilie. [color=deepskyblue][I]> You'll never guess who's here![/I][/color] When he opened the message on his phone, he was greeted with a picture of a mildly amused looking Princess Ryner, William and Sariel in tow, and Aaron grinned. She must have been making her rounds around campus; even though this was his first time attending, Ryner’s concern for her students was well known, and it was common knowledge that she liked to interact with them face-to-face rather than running everything behind a wall of administrative staff. Smiling, he walked slowly back in the direction of the bus stop, tapping out his reply. [i][color=f0d705]> Haha, yeah! I’ve heard she likes to talk to students. Did you talk to her?[/color][/i] [hider=Texting Lilie] [i][color=deepskyblue]> What no > I can't do that[/color][/i] [i][color=f0d705]> What? Why?[/color] [color=deepskyblue]> I could get arrested > I could get sent to the mines > I could get my head taken off for daring to take a picture of the princess > TT^TT[/color][/i] Aaron couldn’t help but laugh, and luckily there was no one on the sidewalk in front of the general store to notice. Royalty probably [i]was[/i] intimidating to someone who wasn’t familiar (and hell, he still got a little nervous around the Queen) but he just knew Princess Ryner’s gentle demeanour so well it was hard to imagine her looking scary. [i][color=f0d705]> Hahaha, you’re fine! As long as you got her good side![/color][/i] He laughed some more at his own stupid joke, but figured that might be a little mean, and amended it. [i][color=f0d705]> Relax, she’s harmless. She just likes to be able to talk to her students, that’s all. I’m jealous, I’m still in town![/color][/i] [i][color=deepskyblue]> shes a mega vampire, extra important extra beautiful extra intimidating > I was going to say hi to Sariel but then I saw her and now she saw me taking a picture and this is it this is how I die > I knew a vampire would kill me someday!!!!![/color][/i] Lilie’s apparent panic brought another laugh out of Aaron, though he did feel bad for being so amused at her expense. At least her fears were unfounded, though it seemed like she’d need some convincing. [i][color=f0d705]> You’re not going to die! > Princess Ryner is lovely! I should know, I grew up around her :D > Nothing to be scared of, just go up and say hi. Probably don’t even need to worry about protocol since she’d know that you’re not from those circles. [/color] [color=deepskyblue]> I wish you were here >__< > this is hard [/color][/i] Something about Lilie wanting him with her made Aaron’s heart flutter, and he could feel a blush burning his ears. How could he say no to that? [i][color=f0d705]> Well the bus back to campus just pulled up, if you want I can come introduce you![/color] [color=deepskyblue]> okay > Ill try to buy you some time > but if I get eaten its gonna be all your fault!![/color] [color=f0d705]> Noted! XD[/color][/i] [/hider] Aaron smiled as he tucked his phone away, breaking into a jog to make sure he didn’t miss the bus. Luckily he caught it with a little time to spare, tucking himself in a window seat near the front and feeling considerably lighter than when he’d gotten off.