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It was an unexpected development, to say the least. Shade had not anticipated being approached, much less by what appeared to have been a newly spawned adventurer, much like himself. She seemed somewhat lost, which was a sentiment shared with the Dark Elf, and her attire hinted at a different venue, entirely. However, such was the case in an Adventurers Guild. Few locals made it their duty to delve into dangerous venues, and even less so the surrounding world where monstrous humanoids made their homes. Dark Elves fell into the category of those very monsters, as most would insist. It was a hatred that Shade had been warned about in a repeated fashion by both mother and father, which warranted a somewhat startled response as he turned to greet the girl who had approached him. 

“O-oh, hey..,” the boy tried, nearly dropping his apple before regaining his composure. A rather embarrassing turn of events, for sure. He was, after all, supposed to be a practitioner in the shadow arts, someone who always maintained their balance and remained a step ahead at all times. At this moment, he had fallen woefully short. “Uhm..,” Shade tried, viewing the girl from beneath his hood, the boy’s ghostly skin somewhat visible beyond the shape of fabric. “Rats..,” Shade repeated, tapping his dainty fingers against the apple in his hands. It was better than cleaning ditches, that much was certain. He was also willing to admit that other than being an exercise in humility, taking on the role of cleaner warranted little in the pursuit of knowledge. Considering the girl for a moment, Shade would eventually clear his throat, and nodded. “Rats, yeah.., that sounds good,” he stated, clearly unsure. This was the first time he would work together with anyone outside The Moonshadow Cult, and it was a daunting prospect, to say the least. 

However, it did not take long for the boy’s attention to snap towards someone else, entirely. Tension immediately rose to the forefront, and Shade raised his head somewhat to get a better view of the man who had made himself known with heavy, armored steps. Countless errors could be spotted in his choice of words, mainly when relating them to Shade’s gender. He was being mistaken for a girl, yet again. “I..,” the boy tried, unsure of how to approach this issue. The first lesson of a Moonshadow Assassin was to use what you had at your disposal. Being mistaken for a female could very well have been advantageous, and it was ironically one of the most effective measures in approaching a target. Women were generally prefered within close proximity, which in itself allowed for deadly executions. As was the boy’s reflexive measure, Shade immediately analyzed the man for weak spots. He was wearing scale mail, which rendered slashing motions useless. A strong enough thrust could very well break the links binding his armor together, but Shade had neither the strength nor the weapon for such a feat. Rather, it would require a routine approach. 

Step one, focus on the hamstrings. His ankles lacked protection. Step two, maintain an agile maneuver, as the man’s upper body would still maintain its autonomy. Step three, seize the moment and strike at his throat when the man’s knee connected with the ground. It was one scenario that could play out, one of countless. The other was to focus on that heavy mace that hung at the man’s belt. Maintain patience, and wait for him to reach for the weapon, where a much faster draw would allow Shade to strike at the man’s hand, before the mace found itself in his grip. A steel badge hanging from the man’s belt indicated one truth more so than anything else. This man was far more experienced than the elf, and in a fight, Shade stood no chance. The boy’s father could have ended an aggressive exchange within seconds, with lightning-fast motions barely registered by an untrained eye. However, Shade remained far from that level. “Thank you,” the Dark Elf spoke, maintaining a polite approach. The second rule of a Moonshadow Assassin, always disarm the person you are interacting with, by making them feel at ease. “Your offer is appreciated, Sir,” Shade continued, “but I believe we’ll manage the feat on our own,” he finished, offering the man a soft, if tender smile beneath the boy’s hood. This less than desired guest was not the only man who made himself a source of attention, however. Shade needed only turn his head slightly for the boy’s eyes to widen. Never before had he seen an armor so.., exotic, in its design, as it was on a girl who had only recently stepped through the front door.