Long, blonde locks swayed back and forth as the young woman transferred her weight between each leg, as she walked a fairly empty cooridor of Era town. Wiggling toes of bare feet tapped against the pavement to keep a rhythmic pace. Meanwhile the wooden fiddle lay nestled between the woman's shoulder and chin.

Dexterous digits plucked the various lengths of the violin's strings. The short, sharp sounds that reverberated off the strings resembled the sound of falling raindrops, as she pressed forward, her steps in tandem with the bright plucky sounds. Her steps slowed, as did the tempo of her music as she came to a grand stone stairway, that led up to some building which importance held no value to the young maiden.

The landing was far more alluring than the building itself. She was tired. Her everything ached-- even the young woman's long, bony fingers, that still clutched the neck of her violin and her bow respectively. With a sigh, she walked up a few steps, only to settle on one after slipping. She shook her head disapprovingly, as she chuckled at her own clumsiness. It would likely leave another bruise-- though Ann was used to them. She couldn't recall a time where she wasn't raked with bruises... at least when she had the opportunity to explore beyond a white padded room.

She brought her bruised knees to her chest, keeping her body small off to the side as not to disturb anyone who wished to ascend the stairs.  Eyes fluttered closed, as she regained whatever composure she needed, before descending her bowstring to the body of her violin.

A silent breath pressed past barely parted lips, as the first somber note sung from the wooden instrument. She nodded at the echo that sang back to her ears, a bright smile pulling at either side of her lips. The acoustics here, were as she had predicted... Amazing.

Diligently, the bow shifted between each string, long and short notes blended together, as the song etched into the long corridors of Era. The song was gentle, but there was a strength and vibrancy that were woven throughout, a suggestion at the young girl's personality ailment, as she shifted between joyous and sad. Ann allowed herself to be lost in the music, as her arm shifted to match the pitch to whatever notes appeared in her eye.

The tempo slowed as she finished, trailing off on some melancholic note. She remained still for a moment, allowing the silence to envelop her, exhaling some breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She stayed there frozen for a few moments, basking in the residual vibrations of the violin's wooden frame. The smile, which had minimized in her performance, widened again, stretching the edges of her lips, before she allowed her violin and bow to rest on either side of her. Sapphire eyes fluttered open, as her visions of cheering crowds faded back into reality, a soft, "Hmm..." escaped her person, barely pressing past pursed lips.

Era had made itself a unique place in many aspects. It was the home to the Rune Knights, a force that did its best to regulate and maintain the peace. It established itself as the battleground of the most recent offenses by the dark guild Grimoire Heart. It was home to many meetings by the Magic Council, and many vacations away from the capitol for Nobles and the rich alike.

One thing it lacked in greatly was any form of art, despite its seeming abundant amounts of altruism. Towns always seemed to have made room to implement some form of recognition to creation. The Garden within Crocus, the Nakamura manor and preservation of nature within Hargeon- These towns went above and beyond to embrace it. Era, it seemed, had become much too stiff.

This wasn't to say that Finn was a man who obsessed over art. Most of it he struggled to understand or fully comprehend. Still, when it lacked in such entirety even he noticed. He remembered the days of sitting within the tree house, listening to Jake pluck away on his fiddle and Finn himself singing as loudly as he could to whatever lyrics presented themselves to him. Now, in Era, there was only uniform architecture that worried more about efficiency than appearance.

He didn't even realize that these subconscious thoughts and feelings had laid themselves bare within his mind. Not until the echoes of notes being strung along the breeze made their way to his ears. The sound was so silent at first that the young adventurer hadn't even registered it. As he closed in, cutting the distance with every step, he finally began to realize what he was hearing.

A smile carved its way through his lips as he began to actively search out the sound. It bounced off the uniform buildings in a way that allowed the music to travel further while still maintaining itself. It caused him to sway his body while he walked, his hands waving to the beat as if no one was around to see him dance. Even if they were, Finn was not the type to get self conscious over his own movement.

As the sound had become so close that he felt he was nearing its source, he heard the final note hum into the surrounding area. Opening his eyes that he didn't realize had closed, the smile on its face acted as if it were there to stay. He made his way in the direction that he last heard the noise, and finally found a likely culprit. A barefoot girl who could have passed as an elf, sitting upon the ground with her instrument in hand.

Looking to the top of the staircase at the girl who may not have even noticed his presence yet, he called out. "That was amazing," he called up, the smile on his face practically changing the sound of his words to make them more upbeat. "Would you play some more?"

A sound other than the gentle reverb of her strings graced the young woman's ears, and quickly her sapphire gaze found its way to the young man at the foot of the stairs. Her grin widened as he passed on the compliment, causing instantly a soreness in her cheeks. "Thank you very much." she beamed, and in a single, fluid motion, she was standing. She held her violin in her left hand, by its neck, and her bow in her right, but she was able to contort herself to brush off the dust and wrinkles her soft, billowy, blue sundress had obtained in her stint on the stairs. She bounced softly as she followed the steps down some, leaving the case where it had been during her performance.

She didn't fully descend the staircase, but she had narrowed the gap that lay between the two of them, lingering halfway between the young man, and her original position; allowing her fellow blond to meet her midway, if he so wished. Regardless of the man's position, she would speak again, allowing her words to be directed towards him.

"But really, I'm glad you enjoyed it... Era always seems so quiet... A little music provides a backdrop to help it feel so much more..." she trailed off, for a moment, thinking intently for the proper word, "Lively?" she settled after a few seconds, though the influx suggested she wasn't quite content with the choice.

"Though truthfully most patrons here aren't as thrilled with a soundtrack as you seem to be..." she shrugged, her smile fading some as she recalled a memory of an uptight Rune Knight chasing her out of a park in order to validate his authority. There had been some mention of permits, and written permission, but Ann hadn't fully paid attention... It all had sounded like too much work. Besides, if someone asked her to stop, she would merely nod, and find some new stage instead. If it really became a problem, she might as well just leave Era entirely. "but I suppose, as long as it brings joy to someone else, it's completely worth it." she spoke, decidedly, allowing the smile to again stretch across her lips, though not quite as wide as it had initially been.

She would fall silent, regardless of if the man responded or not, taking the moment to silently observe the features of her new companion. He was a few inches taller than she, though being one or two steps higher than he was would make it so he was eye-level to her. Truthfully his characteristics, on paper were quite similar to her own: golden locks, and blue eyes... slender, and well-proportioned for their frames: even their choice of attire was color coordinated.

The similiarities intrigued the young woman, and after a moment or two, she spoke again. "I'll tell you what... I'll trade you a song for a story about yourself... Any type of song you want. It's only fair that a musisician gets to know her adoring fans after all..." she mused, as her smile widened back. She would play him another song regardless, but he didn't need to know that. "I'm Ann by the way." she said, sweetly tilting her head to the right. Had he offered her a hand to shake, she would transfer her bow to her left grip and meet it... otherwise she would stand there pleasantly, waiting for a response in some way or another.

Her words came out of her mouth like bubbles, popping in the air. She had about her a sort of charm that he couldn't quite put his finger on. She seemed peppy, happy, and outgoing when she spoke, her movements having a bit of that vibrancy within it. Her entire being seemed so positive that she stood in stark contrast against the uniformity of Era. What she said was true, she was bringing life to a town that he hadn't even realized felt dead.

Then, how could he have taken the time to realize it? He had hardly been within it for a week before things began to occur one after the other. The city had only just died down from the battlefield it had erupted into, and Finn's blade was one of the object used to douse the fire. His fingers twitched slightly, the feeling of his hilt ghosting inside his hand.

His mind snapped from its wandering as she continued on, referencing the people of Era. He couldn't help but grin slightly at that. He had gotten so many different flavors of the town during his short stay. Some of them were rather positive, others absolutely repulsive. Judging on what she said, she had experienced mostly the latter. "I can't believe I'm the only one who's enjoyed it. The rest probably just didn't even realize that they should say anything. Half the people here are so stuck up." As he said that, a chuckle formed that he had to interrupt to speak. "But a lot of nice people too!"

She had closed their distance by half, but the idea to close the gap further had yet to cross Finn's mind. Had Jake been here, it would have been the point in which Finn was nudged forward and the older brother made his exit. Without the guidance, Finn could only do as he would. That included his awkward quirks, for better or for worse.

As she suggested her idea, Finn's hands came up and interlocked behind his head. One of his legs bent backwards, his toe tapping on the ground as if he was mulling over the offer. All at once, a laugh erupted from his mouth and he stood straight again, his hands dropping to his hips. "Yeah, that sounds fine!" Taking two steps up, Finn would sit upon the steps and lean his back against the railing along the way, putting himself sideways so he could easily see her.

"What type of story do you want? I go on a lot of adventures and gunk." To Finn, his life was a relatively normal one. He hadn't thought that his own childhood had been an adventure of its own, though not many had been raised in the forest.

With the moment of a pause as any sort of answer would be contemplated, however short the break, Finn began taking in more features of his new acquaintance. Her hair was long and blonde, though it didn't look freshly brushed or kept. It flowed like cascading waterfalls over her shoulders and back, and while no individual strands or tufts stuck out it had a nearly wild feel to it. Her eyes were blue, though they were not piercing. She had the look of someone who took in more of the world than anyone else. Her face was without a blemish, and her smile accented it like an artists touch. All of these things were summed up in Finn's mind in a few simple words.

Wow, she's pretty...

Eyelashes fluttered as sapphire orbs watched the man in front of her contemplate her suggestion before agreeing to her proposal. It was instantaneous that his body language shifted, as he agreed, his arms dropped to his waist, standing straight, as he laughed. The sudden shift was... She wasn't certain she had a word for it... adorable? endearing? She chuckled some at the sound of his own laughter... Perhaps the word was infectious... Her contemplation ceased only as the blond asked what type of story that she had wanted.

Her lips transitioned from her vibrant smile to pursed contemplation, a soft "Hmm" mixing with an echoed, "A lot of adventures and gunk..." escaping their ever so subtle parting. As the young man sat, tactfully positioning himself so that he could remain directed towards her to maintain their conversation, she made her way closer to him. He had moved up a few steps, which she interpreted as openness to their proximity. As she sat down, she left a step between the two of them, orienting herself further from the wall than her companion as not to assume some overly-forward friendliness. Their location to each other allowed the words that would flow between the two of them be intimate, if they intended them to be.

As she settled into her position, a twisted pose that tucked one leg beneath her and allowed her chinto be cradled by her palm, propped up by the connection of her outstretched leg and elbow, she gazed intently at him. She allowed herself to remain in the moment of silence, as she feigned contemplation of her request a few seconds longer. Really, she was taking in the time to observe the man in front of her, as she already knew exactly what kind of story she wanted... As she sat there, the only thing she couldn't decide on was why, for whatever reason, she couldn't shake the fluttering feeling that had found its way into her stomach as she looked at him-- it was a peculiar response for a complete stranger.

She swallowed such thoughts, as she finally vocalized her request, "How about the first adventure that you remember from your childhood." her tone was decisive, but still carried the sweet airiness from before, suggesting the bright smile that had recaptured her lips. She would listen intently to whatever story he would share. Her own childhood memories were few and far between, and certainly contained no adventures.

As the girl motioned to move it was as if she gave a queue to Nature to shift itself accordingly. The breeze, which had been doing its job in lightly fanning her hair and dress away from him to give her an image akin of a siren, stilled before shifting. Now gently wafting in his direction as she managed to make her self somewhat comfortable near him, he couldn't help but notice that she had an almost sweet scent to her. A mix between her familiar syntax, infectious smile, bubbly voice, and pleasant scent all made him notice her more as a woman and less as a new acquaintance for just the briefest of moments before she spoke once more.

"How about the first adventure that you remember from your childhood."

Eyes blinking as if to clear the surprise away, Finn's head pulled back with a slight shudder. It wasn't often that people delved into his life when talking to him. Even less often did they wish to press so far back. He and Ann had only just met, and yet she seemed to already take a genuine interest in him. That, or she was an extremely polite person. Regardless, the request would be answered. "First adventure, right..." His voice began at conversationalist sounds before fading off into a mere mumble, his eyes closing as his head leaned back, resting upon the surface behind him.

As his mind pushed to go as far back as it could, he began speaking without so much as a warning. "Back when I was super small," he began, eyes clenching in concentration as if that would help hold the thought in its place. "Jake took me to a new part of the forest. Jake's my older brother, and he was super protective over me. Sometimes, though, he'd get real distracted." As he spoke, his eyes began to relax as if the memory was becoming easier to sustain.

"He had found some sort of... Something, I don't remember. But he had looked away for like five seconds, and I slipped and fell into this real tight crevice. I don't think I could even fit anymore if I went back." As his eyes began to open, his vision seemed to go far past the sky, into the actual events of his past. "I was surprised, but I don't think I was scared. It was more like I didn't know what to think. Before I could really let my brain do its thing, I started looking around. That hole was dry, no water or anything. The rocks in there though were all so shiny and smooth, and just enough light was getting in to make them all reflect it and dance back and forth and-" His words cut off. He didn't know what a kaleidoscope was, and he had no way to put what he saw in words. "It was beautiful." It was the best he could do, and with that he turned back to her and smiled. "That was my first adventure. I think."

The blond was quick to oblige the young woman with the story that she requested... Apparently it was an odd request, one that required a lot of concentration to envision. Ann hadn't attempted to press her companion to a quick enactment, but rather watched intently as whatever vision was needed to relay the story came to him. Time meant little to her, and she anticipated that his story would be worth the wait.

When he finally spoke, his words were sudden. Ann jumped a little, at their initiation, though she doubted the young man sensed such a minor movement, as his eyes remained closed. As she settled back from the startle, she let out a soft "mmmm..." to signify that she was listening. Her head bobbed, taking in the story that he was sharing, and as more words came out of his mouth, she allowed her own eyes to flutter closed, attempting to see whatever scene he was describing... How tiny the blond in front of her must have been, an older brother-- who likely would look similar to the man in front of her, though also likely younger than him-- if he was distractable enough to lose his younger brother.

The young blond boy trapped in a crevice-- the color dancing across the walls of his captivity. She wondered if it was the colors that helped the young man stay more surprised than scared... After all, it was often the sterile white and quietness of places that made Ann uneasy... She couldn't help but wonder if others felt that way too... She had never thought to ask. She allowed herself to be transported back to the steps, as the young man finished his story. A bright smile, that had been lost in the contemplation of his tale returned quickly to her lips, as her blue orbs hungrily searched for answers across his face....

"Do you remember how you got out?" she requested eagerly, inching nearer to him as she did. She hadn't realized as she asked, that her actions could be perceived as rude, at least not until she fired off another question shortly after. "What did your brother do when he found out?" the last word "out" stretched as she spoke-- the sudden realization of how forward she was being. "I don't mean to pry..." she managed, scooting back to her original distance. "I just don't have any siblings, or have any fantastic memories like that from my childhood. It's really special ...uhh" she trailed off... She had intended to address him by name, but it occurred to her as she spoke that she hadn't learned it yet.

"...Uh... I'm afraid I don't know what to call you, Adventure-er-Dude" she managed after a moment, her cheeks burning a pale pink as she did. She laughed some to ease her own tensions. She felt funny... It wasn't like her to be so... awkward.  She scraped her palms against her dress, guaranteeing that they were dry, if he offered her a hand and an introduction. Her tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth, as she waited for a response of some sort or another. She shimmied some from her seated position, making a deliberate decision to feel less nervous, though it was a decision that she couldn't fully commit to until she saw his reaction.