Blending in

[hansel]

Hansel stood with his back against the wall, face pointed downwards. He didn't really wish to draw any attention to himself his first day in the city, though his white haori was causing a few stares. He was examining how the common people dressed, and planned to get his hands on some clothing to suit. That was one of the few things he kept from his old life, the need and ability to quickly blend in. His katana was hidden underneath his clothing, keeping those who would mistake him for a criminal at bay. That is, if weapons meant you were a criminal in the city. Everywhere was different, he supposed, but for now he was wanting to play it safe.

A waitress walked up to him a bit nervously after a couple minutes. "Um, can I, can I help you sir?" she asked. Hansel looked up, his expression as serious as always. 

"Do you have any rooms available," he asked. "And an ale would be welcome." The waitress smiled and gawked a bit at his face. Was it his eyes? Every place he went, there were a few who always commented on his eyes. 

"I believe we have one room available, but I'll go check. Feel free to, um, have a seat." she said as her face turned a very light shade of red. Without making another expression, Hansel walked slowly to the nearest table and sat down with his arms crossed. 

[Deleted]

Adrianna, A-Ray, walked into the pub and a few whistles screeched in her direction. She looked over and winked at the man who did it and continued to strut forward, accentuating her assets. She walked passed a table and smacked a hand away, giggling while stopping for a moment to look at the man.
"Ah, I don't think so... you'll have to come by the circus tents later tonight hun." She winked once again and continued on, leaning against the bar, sticking her backside out to display.

"Hey~" She called and a man came over to ask her for her drink. "Just a water to start me out pleased, I am famished hun." She smiled and the man left. Once out of view she rolled her eyes. Today was just another bother... circus for the family in the mornings, breaks in the afternoon. Nighttime was the fun time. Oh yes, the freak-show was what got her going. It sent chills all over her body just thinking about it. She turned to look around the pub as she waited, eyeing Hansel that sat rather close to a corner. Once she got her water glass she strutted over and placed her hands on the table, leaning down and allowing for certain areas to be accented. Adrianna was arguably too young to be in this business... unfortunately it was all she knew.

"Hey there~ Don't you just look like an interesting character..." She giggled for a moment before tilting her head. "Ever thought about joining the circus? I am sure someone who keeps something so white so clean as something... interesting..." she thought crazy, which made the best acts during the freak-shows. "about them..."

[hansel]

Hansel had been thinking about the shape of this city for a minute or so, waiting on his ale. The citizens seemed to be in good shape, and the guard looked like they had enough heart to actually be trusted with guarding the city. In most places, it was just a job and not many people truly wanted to protect their place of residence. In a few cases, it resulted in the city being successfully attacked and invaded. He had thought briefly that it may be a good place to finally settle down, and then a woman found her way to his table. He looked up towards her as she said he was an interesting character. He didn't smile, as she looked to be no older than fifteen or sixteen, though she was well developed and it would be inappropriate to stare at one so young. Even if she was a human.

When she finished speaking, Hansel still had his arms folded and didn't have a smile on his face. He had no intention to join a circus and thought that this girl probably shouldn't be in it either. The waitress finally got to the table and set his ale on the surface, a bit of a smile on her face.

"Well sir, we do have one room left and don't worry about the drink, it's on me," she said hurriedly. "But it's a small one, so if you don't want it you can stay with me for tonight." She offered, before turning quickly and moving to another table. Hansel took a drink of the ale and set it down before finally turning his attention to the teenager he thought was trying to sleep with him.

"Mi'lady, I'm afraid I'm much too old to join a circus, just as you're too young to do what you do," he said, turning his head and staring into her surprisingly pretty eyes. He knew his own dark blue eyes were "pretty" as some women had described them, so he thought he could be a fair judge of what "pretty" was. The teenage girl was surprisingly beautiful and he could see why she chose this business. With her looks, it was probably very profitable even with her age. "But I would invite you to sit with me and have a drink nonetheless." Hansel said, motioning for the chair across the table with his hand furthest away from the girl. With the hand nearest her, he set his hand firmly on her hip and gave her a slight nudge.

[Deleted]

She was being denied and her pride kept her from being joyful but she had played the act long enough, she could be whatever she wished to be on the outside while holding whatever, even the exact opposite, on the inside. A-Ray felt an urge to completely discredit the waitress. Perhaps accuse her of having a disease, or maybe something worse... her pride told her that if she couldn't get the man, no one could. She decided against it however, something like that would draw attention to herself, attention that would get her kicked out quicker than she wanted.

A-Ray was always thrown out of the pub, being too young to be within it, but it always took the help and guards or whatever a little while to notice her. She had been denied, yes, but it was not necessarily a bad thing, she was rather tired, perhaps an actual conversation with a man and taking an actual break on her break wouldn't be too bad after all.

"Mi'lady?" She said with a giggle as walked around the edge of the table and took a seat. "I know I like to think I'm a princess but," she grinned, "well I didn't think others thought so sweetly about me." She sat forward, placing both elbows on the table. "Age is only a number hun. I have seen plenty of 'men' who, trust me, are really only boys." She winked at him. "Not you of course." Ardianna giggled before looking around and then back at Hansel.

"I'm A-Ray." She said before looking him up and down. "You aren't from around here are you hun?"

[hansel]

Hansel listened intently to the girl, trying to derive what kind of a person she truly was. So far, she seemed to truly be a prostitute and Hansel didn't like that. He didn't like that for many reasons, namely because she was so young. Well developed, yes, but still very young. She also seemed kind and have a good sense of right and wrong. But, who knows, maybe he was completely and totally wrong about her. He never knew until he tried to figure it out but he was usually correct in his assumptions.

"Tell me A-Ray, what is your real name?" he asked seriously. "If I am to be having a conversation, I would at least like to know the name of the one I am speaking to. Does the A stand for Ariel? Amy?" he continued. Purposefully avoiding her question, Hansel took a long sip of his drink before staring intently at the young girl.

[Deleted]

This man was like all the others. It didn't matter that his agenda was different, he was a man and just like all men that Adrianna had met, they answered only what they wished. It was as if she, being a woman, wasn't worth being on equal standing.

"A-Ray not real enough for you eh?" She giggled as the flipped her hair to the side. "My parents called me Adrianna, so if you want to be my daddy then you can call me that, hun." She really wasn't trying to act how she was, but after such a long time of perfecting her skills it was hard to drop. "But don't you think you should give me what I gave you?" She asked, speaking of his name.

[hansel]

Hansel raised an eyebrow at her words. Be her daddy? What on earth could she mean by that? "This is true, young lady. You may call me Hansel," he said to her. ",I'm curious though Adrianna, why are you in your current line of business? What drove you to-" Hansel stopped here and cleared his throat,"-to know all kinds of men? It isn't exactly a great profession, no offense, and I'm sure somebody as pretty and talented as you are could find another thing to do for a living." Hansel took another drink of ale before leaning forward on the table.

"If you're so keen on helping others, you could learn to be a nurse at the hospital in this city. Or if you wish to serve people in a different way, I'm positive this tavern would hire you without hesitation. I'm also betting that there would be many other paths you could take, whether that be owning your own tavern or maybe becoming a warrior of some kind should your heart desire that." Hansel stopped here and did something he very rarely does. He smiled at the young lady. It felt uncomfortable and foreign and probably showed on his face. "But, I digress. This is your life, do what you wish to do. And forgive the face, it isn't used to such charming company." Hansel said. He dropped the smile quickly and finished off his glass of ale, awaiting her response to everything he said.

[Deleted]

Adrianna sat and gazed intently at Hansel as she twirled a section of hair with her fingers that hung down the side of her face.
She seemed to be paying attention but she was not fully engaged in his ramblings. To her that was all it was, a rant she heard many times, whenever she was thrown out of pubs or brothels once her age was unmasked. Hansel used much softer words though and she couldn't help but smile softly as she was amused and warmed by his attempt to be so kind.

"Hansel, hun, I am a warrior of love." She grinned and giggled before shrugging, a huff escaping from her. "I grew up without a family, the only ones who welcomed me were my beautiful gals. You say I can do better? What is better than healing a man's heart hun?" She smiled back at him and reached across the table, letting her hand rest on his forearm softly as she gazed into his eyes.
"Hansel, you should look in the mirror, hun, you have charming company wherever your feet take you. We all do."

She sat back, lightly moving her fingers on his arm as it left him and returned to where they had come from. "If it puts your worrisome heart to peace, hun, I do have another job, stop by the circus just outside of town, on the road to Paineston. Certainly you'll recognize me there."

[hansel]

Hansel listened to what the girl had to say, noting that her mind was made up on the matter. Shrugging inwardly to himself, he ignored her fingers on his arm. "Many men feign a heart in pieces, young one. Remember this and be safe." he said. When she mentioned the circus, it piqued his interest slightly. What could she possibly be doing at a circus full of hookers?

"I will attempt to visit, should I have the time," he said while slowly getting to his feet. "If you would like to learn anything other than what you currently specialize in, then this city is where you shall find me for some time. I think it's about time I get a disciple, anyways." he finished. Inwardly, his old self spat a little at his offering to train a lowly human girl. A prostitute, at that! He didn't let his face show his slight inner disdain, and held his hand out palm up in a motion for her to put her hand in his.

[Deleted]

She took his hand as she got up and smiled. "I don't suppose you know your way around a dagger then do you hun?" She asked as she looked at him. She was becoming quite adept at using a whip as a weapon but she figured that Hansel was right; men could try to hurt here and when they were in close encounters with one another a whip wouldn't be ideal.

She walked around the table and stood sweetly by him as she continued to think about learning to use a blade or knife. It made her chuckle to herself a little as she thought about the swordswallowers. She had always told herself that she would never, for the life of her, attempt to do a thing like that but here she was edging ever so slightly to that occupation. First to use a knife, then a dagger, then a blade and then she would be cutting up her insides.