After taking so many quests, and working so hard to get requests completed, Rinni decided to take a break. But staying at home wasn't good enough for her. She loved her family, regardless of how overbearing they could be, but that wasn't the problem. She needed to get away, to get out into the world and discover what was out there. Maybe make friends. Join a Guild. Go on an adventure. Discover where she belongs. She wanted to create her own destiny. To not only make her family proud but prove to herself and to them that she could make it on her own. Maybe even find love...

The young girl blushed as she shook her head of any romantic notions. That was ridiculous. She was only 16 and had no time for such notions with her busy life. I mean, true she has her entire life ahead of her... but as a Ranger in training, she's far too busy to settle down. Not to mention too young. Maybe if she met someone her age, though...

"No! Get your head out of the clouds! That is NOT why you came all the way out here!" She scolded herself as she moved through the mountainous region, climbing the landscapes in her personal quest to discover something new.

Maybe she'd discover a new gem, or animal, or find a mountain climber with useful advice to aid in her journey. But, aside from a few scattered villages here and there, she hadn't really seen another person so far. Human or otherwise. Not that she minded being on her own... it was kinda nice. Peaceful, to say the least. And she was a shy introvert most of the time, so it didn't bother her too much. She did get lonely sometimes, however, and had considered taking in a pet. Her brother, Masado, always lectured her on her lack of friends. So, perhaps it wouldn't hurt her to get out there and meet people.

"Maybe I should seek out a guild..." Just then, her foot slipped and she slid down a rocky path landing with a thud. "...Ow..."

[369 WC]

After an experience with such a mysterious merchant, Tomoe didn't dare doubt the power of rumors anymore. Being something of an adventure seeker, the Joyan had yet to take up rumors and ghost stories as any type of basis to follow through on. Yet there he was in North Fiore, with a new cloak and hood that dangled off of his back. It was somewhat ragged in appearance, yet still looked so sturdy it could never possibly break. It was midnight black and woven of a warm and thick yet never too warm or too thick, silken material. It draped just beyond his knees and was currently obscuring most of his body from his neck to his knees. On his back was a sword, poking out ever so slightly through the cloak's obscurity, and heavy armor from head to toe.

The sound of crashing rubble, a thud and a voice stirred the man's senses to life. All at once his instincts had shifted from hapless traveller with wanderlust, to his role as a light guild wizard with the duty to protect. With a hand gripping the handle of his sword, Tomoe lunged forth through trees and brush at a speed no normal human could easily match and stopped himself upon reaching the origin point of the worrisome noise.

Before him was a girl, clearly hurt and surrounded by fallen rocks. Looking up, the ronin could deduce that it was a nasty fall she had taken - though thankfully, it wasn't a fatal one. It wasn't as if Tomoe was the type to be someone's knight in shining armor, as it wasn't as if he truly fought for others. He simply indulged in the things he found to be engaging, and if that happened to also help others then so be it. He wasn't a hero or rushing to people's aid out of care - those were the things he told himself, at least.

"Ah, geez... hey, kid, you okay?", Tomoe bluntly exclaimed, not content with just leaving an injured girl to wander alone in the mountains.

With his hands now lowered and far away from the handle of his sword, brushing aside his cloak to show that he had nothing to hide except armor underneath, Tomoe approached with a look of concern plastered across his features. He brushed a hand through his hair as he stood before her, taking off the metallic gauntlet of his right hand to offer her help in getting up.

Regardless of whether she would accept or not, Tomoe would sigh to relieve his stress somewhat.

"What are you actually doin' out here? Don't you have a place to be or somethin'? A home, maybe a boyfriend to go on a playdate with? The wilderness ain't for people to be slipping and sliding around, y'know? Shit, I even know that."

He would place the armored gauntlet on his hand once more and cross his arms as he stared at the girl, awaiting a response. Despite his attitude, Tomoe only stood at 5'9" and looked no older than nineteen or twenty years of age. Something about his combination of speech and mannerisms next to his height and apparent age might seem off to the more perceptive.

The awkward and clumsy teen brushed a strand of hair from across her eyes which had been obstructing her view. The sound of an unfamiliar male voice startled the girl. It wasn't her brother, she could tell that right away. Besides, what would he even be doing way out here? She, after all, had come here to escape - or rather take a break - from her family. This time away from them was supposed to be relaxing, calm, and a chance to clear her mind and make her own decisions for once. After that werewolf incident, however, she began to question if she picked the right 'vacation' spot. All matters aside, she slowly peered up at the stranger that had spoken. He appeared to be young, but still older than herself. He was clad in armor and a cloak; she was pretty sure she caught the glimpse of a sword at his back. Her bow rested on her back, thankfully the fall didn't damage it. She reached for her arrows; good, all accounted for. Her cheeks flushed with hot pink embarrassment as the man removed his gauntlet and offered her his hand.

He didn't appear to be a threat. And if he were, she was pretty confident in her speed to escape if necessary. Plus, he appeared to be a melee attacker while she was a ranged attacker. Still, she wasn't looking for a fight... nor had she any idea how strong this man actually was. Being only a C-Rank herself, she had no intent on getting herself killed by an A or even S Rank. He was offering her his help, the least she could do was politely accept. Gingerly, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Once up, she timidly looked up at the man. He was only a few inches taller than her 5'4" frame. The 16-year-old girl chewed her lip and muttered a sheepish thanks as she held her right arm with her left, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

He then proceeds to question her motives for being in... adding insult to injury by ridiculing her afterward. She blushes deeply when he continues to delve into her personal affairs by asking if she has a boyfriend to go on a playdate with. Playdate? What did he think she was? Feeling insulted, but also lacking any confidence to stand up for herself again this armored stranger, she eventually found her voice and the nerve to use it.

"P-playdate? I-I'm not a little kid! I'm... I'm 16, and I'll have you know I... I can take care of myself..." She realized she wasn't sounding as convincing as she did in her head. "And, if you must know, no. I do not have a boyfriend. And... n-not that it's any of your business... I... I'm... out here for... personal... reasons..."

She visibly flinched, having said more than she intended. She hoped not to upset nor provoke this man into doing her harm. He could be from a powerful dark guild for all she knew. And she was so far away from home. No one here to protect her. 'No! You can take care of yourself, Rinni! You just said so! Now act like it!' She mentally scolded herself, though visibly she was trembling. Man, she was not making a good first impression at all.

The Joyan stood there patiently, giving the girl time to build up her voice and deliver a retort to the best of her ability. He stood still, observing her as she defended herself. If he could put it bluntly, she was a stuttering mess filled with youthful arrogance. Not a single thing she said had convinced Tomoe that he was wrong. She was way out of her league, exploring alone like this and getting caught off guard by Mother Nature herself. It was cute, in the way one might look upon a stray puppy and find the desire rise to give it a home. That's what the girl appeared to Tomoe as - a stray, seeking shelter from an onslaught of rain. Either that, or the plucky adventuring type in over their head from an early age. Such thoughts brought a smirk to the ronin's features, thinking on his own experiences earlier in life when he was just such a way; or perhaps that he still was just like that at heart.

At the thought of finding a kindred spirit, or perhaps a more shy echo of who he once was out in the middle of nowhere by pure chance, the warrior bellowed with laughter after she had finished. Realizing how it might look, he stopped after a few moments, a desire to explain that it wasn't in mockery.

"You ain't convincing me with talk like that, man. Not even a little. No. When I was sixteen, I was struggling to get by on the streets of Joya. A life roughly lived by a foolish child. In comparison to that, you're doing much better than I did at that age.", Tomoe spoke in an encouraging tone, wiping a tear from his eye from his prior laughter.

The ronin gestured up and down with his hands and pointed at her bow with an upturned and confident expression.

"For one, you're much better geared. Guys like me will say what they will at first glance, but once ya toss the macho crap out the window, it's plain to see that you're even better geared than the average meathead seeking thrills and glory."

At that, Tomoe leaned in closer to her, now a foot away from her face to make eye contact with her. Staring into her, his expression was inquisitive and without malice.

"Your eyes show promise, girl. But also somethin' like... doubt? Worry, maybe?"

Letting loose the tension, Tomoe returned to a straight posture, no longer invading her personal space. He put a finger to his temple for a second in thought, tapping it against himself, before shrugging his shoulders and turning to look at her again with an expression of shameless resignation.

"Dunno, though. I'm not the type to know this shit. I ain't good with people, so tell me what's up and I'll do what I can. That's what my job description tells me to do, anyway, and I'd hate to be put outta my livelihood because I left a plucky sprout like yourself to her own worries.", Tomoe finished, speaking as truthfully as he could with a perplexed expression on his face.

Running another hand through his hair, the Joyan awaited a response, whatever it might be. He wasn't the type that was well-versed in solving the problems of others, but he couldn't let her stay by herself. It'd be the sort of thing that would be on his mind for ages if he let it go when he was standing right in front of her in the present. Thus the rogue stood there, awaiting another shy outburst or a flat-out rejection of his questions, still on guard in case this was some elaborate trap to draw him out into the wilderness.

A rush of embarrassment flooded her senses at his outburst of laughter. Her cheeks flushed hotly as he stood before her laughing until he was in tears. His reaction stunned her into silence, and as if reading her mind, he stopped the laughter and casually wiped a tear aside as he explained himself (Sorta?) and spoke in what appeared, in her mind, to be a mix of encouragement and condescending at the same time. She wasn't sure how he managed to compliment her while insulting her. Her cheeks flushed red with a mix of embarrassment and angry annoyance. As he gestured up and down her body (a very awkward motion for her) and pointed to her bow, she felt as though she were on trial or under some sort of judgment. This young man was making her more uncomfortable every minute and she couldn't even understand how he did this so easily. He didn't feel like a bad person like she didn't feel as though she were in any danger, but still...

'What's with this guy?' She thought, her eyes examining him, trying to read him... to figure him out. All she could see was a young man, possibly between 16-18 years old, with flaming red hair and burning eyes. Other than that, she knew nothing about him. Not even his name. Based on his gear, however, he was probably a B Rank or above. This made her grateful he wasn't an evil wizard or something. She'd probably be dead by now if he was.

As he complimented her gear, she blinked slowly, trying to process his words. Was he complimenting her? At this point, she wasn't sure and responded with a very awkward, "Thanks... I think..." He then leaned closer to her, nearly nose to nose, and she gasped stepping backward slightly. Her heart raced, having him this close. She wasn't used to people randomly invading her personal space. He implied her eyes showed promise mixed with doubt or worry. She wasn't sure what he meant, but she only realized she had forgotten to breathe once he finally moved away from her.

"Your... job... is to help people?" Rinni questioned. "Well... I don't need help. At least not any you could offer, I'd imagine. Who are you, anyway?"


Rather he answered her question or not, the girl shook her head and walked away from the Joyan. She folded her arms, back facing him. She trusted he wasn't going to attack her or try anything malicious. He would've done it by now, right? Plus... he seemed to care... in his own way. Or maybe he just felt obligated due to his job, whatever that was, exactly.

"My name is Rinni Faithe. I came out here to getaway. For a while. Nothing serious, you know. Just, my family is too... overbearing. I try to discover myself, find my place. And my parents are so... in my face. They're just way too protective." She pauses and lowers her right arm so that her left arm is holding it as it hangs by her side. "My brother, Masado, has a talent for finding me no matter where I go. So, I decided to go out of his radar. This seemed as good a place as any for privacy."

Realizing she was probably stupid to come out this far alone, she sighed and muttered under her breath, "Pretty stupid of me, I guess. Maybe I should've stayed home..."

"I'm Tomoe. I'm a member of Penumbral Guard. Newly formed, all about helping the people, defending them from evil, 'n all that crap. This sorta thing is kinda my job, y'know? Can't say I'm a typical member, though. Just helping out a friend really. More of a glorified merc right now.", Tomoe replied, hoping he had done enough justice to the description of his guild while simultaneously answering her question to the best of his ability.

He decided to obscure the bit about being its publicly known 'guild master', loathing the fact that he was called that and the inevitable wave of questions that he would be bombarded by upon revealing such a thing. The reluctant ronin was entirely of the opinion that if one walked around revealing to people their status as a guild master, that person was on a serious ego trip. Even more so was the desire Tomoe had burning within him to stay as unknown in the public eye as possible, paranoid at anything that could be used against him.

The girl who proceeded to introduce herself as Rinni Faithe began explaining her reasons for being out here, and her troubles with her home life. She talked about discovery, and finding herself. Overly protective parents seemed to be a problem in her life, something that sent a small pressure running through Tomoe's chest.

Shit. This girl's too wholesome. Family life? Self-discovery? Got nothin' bad to say about that., Tomoe thought, the realization of the girl's presumably innocent and normal life up to this point making him regret his earlier mockery somewhat.

After she had finished, the Joyan nodded with understanding, his features softening somewhat after hearing more about her. It wasn't often that he ran into an adventurer without some horrible tragedy that had befallen them or a dramatic tale of revenge in the process of unfolding. Rinni was a girl who wanted to break away from her family's protective grasp and become her own person. That was a motivation that while not relatable to the Joyan due to his own short-lived family life, he could understand and respect nevertheless. Independence was important, and there was nothing he would do to shoot her down on that front, as foolish as travelling alone in the mountains might be.

"I've got some things that I probably should be doin' instead of wandering the countryside, but eh. It'll sort itself out. I guess in a way, I'm kinda neglecting my duties a little right now. We sound the same, from that point if view.", Tomoe began, stretching his limbs to loosen the stiffness he felt and to deliver a satisfying crack to his neck to relieve some tension.

"To me, it looks like your family cares a lot for ya and doesn't want you to go down a path you'll regret in life. There's no glory in throwing your life away for the sake of defying the expectations of the people you grew up around. If you love your family you shouldn't abandon them, but you also need to show them beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're strong enough to find your own road in life, y'know? Show them they're wrong through action, rather than by running away.", Tomoe finished, his expression warming at the idea that he had run into a kid with the simple desire to prove to herself that she could be her own person; after some of the people he had met in the past, it was a comforting sight knowing that such people still existed.

"I don't think it's stupid, man. You just gotta show them and the world that they ain't ready for all the good stuff you're gonna do for the world. One step at a time, 'n all that, y'know?"

The Joyan eased up on his side of the conversation, having said his piece and awaiting a response. While still displaying condescending mannerisms with his arms crossed once more and puffed up proudly and smirking at her, there was no sarcasm in his voice as he spoke to her about her family matters. Could she truly make the difference Tomoe was implying she could? He had no idea, because in the end that was on her. As a warrior, he believed that anybody had the potential to do immense good or horrendous evil for the world no matter what they were born with. If he could make the world even a little better by helping her, he would do just that.

Tomoe. Rinni made a mental note of his name, so she wouldn't forget it should they meet in the future. As he seemed more understanding than she had expected, she turned her brown eyes in his direction, peering up at him through a loose lock of dark brown hair. Reaching up, she gently brushed the strands away from her eyes with her left hand and sighed a sigh of relief. She was so afraid he'd cast judgment on her or even take her under his wing like an injured civilian, but no. He seemed to, something akin to, relate to her in a way. In the least, he appeared to soften. Aside from his name, he revealed he was a member of a guild known as Penumbral Guard. She wasn't familiar with that name; being a young, guildless up-and-coming herself.

He patiently listened to her story without scoffing nor mocking her, which she appreciated. At home, her parents never listened when she talked of guilds and adventures, and her brother always saw her as his baby sister. It was nice to have someone to talk to who just saw... well... her. She felt less nervous around Tomoe the more they talked, and soon she came out of her shell enough to not appear as a shy child, but rather a Ranger in training seeking acceptance and a place in this world. A young woman looking for independence. When Tomoe compared her to himself, she tilted her head in slight confusion. Did he just say they were the same?

She hadn't expected that.

"The same? I don't honestly see how. I mean, look at you..." Rinni gestured his entire body with a sweeping motion. "You're... you're clearly someone special. I'm just... me."

As Tomoe continued to further address her family issues, pointing out how they simply care for her and don't want her to go down a path she'll regret later, Rinni sighed and looked away once more. She wasn't a child, and she was tired of people treating her as such. Still, she knew he was right. She smiled slightly when he encouraged her to prove everyone wrong.

"I killed a werewolf..." She admitted casually. "It was scary. I was scared. But... I won. And after it was over, I felt different. Like... I could take on anything, ya know?"

She sighed, lowering her gaze to the ground. "I didn't want to kill him. I never took a life before... least not a humanoid. But, I had to. He was going to kill innocent people. They came to me for help. I had no choice. Is that how you feel...?"

'All the good I'll do... will I really do that much good? Have I done any yet?' She thought, closing her eyes in remembrance of the rogue werewolf she had faced. She looked up at Tomoe, noticing him smirking and awaiting her to say or do something. She let out a soft heh, turning to fully face the taller redhead. She looked up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed as she noticed his attractiveness and felt shyness creep up on her once more.

"So what do we do now? Did you have a plan when you approached me... or do we just stand here and talk? Honestly, I'm thirsty and a tad hungry. It's been a long day and I just want a place to sleep. Do you know of any nearby villages with an inn or something?" She awaited his reply, her eyes darting from side to side in an attempt to avoid being locked in that ever awkward thing called eye contact. She wasn't great at socializing and wasn't sure where to go with this encounter.

Tomoe couldn't help but crack a wider smile and chuckle lowly when Rinni suggested that he was someone special. He shook his head with full confidence, seeing now that he was being put on some kind of pedestal despite only having just met each other.

"Nah, you're not correct there, I ain't special. I'd say I can be strong when I need to be, but in this world nobody needs to do anything, do they?", Tomoe retorted, not showing a moment's hesitation in shutting down the idea that he was special or exceptional.

He had always been a street rat, lurking and scavenging to get by.  There was only a small step that he had taken since his younger years as a mere thug, and it wasn't one that he could even properly describe. There would be no effort made to go into details on such things, especially towards somebody he had just met, and thus shrugged once again to signify his dismissal of that point.

Once more he retreated to the position of listener, allowing her to explain her first time she had killed something... someone? Once she had concluded her side of it, finding her own way to justify it, Tomoe nodded with the same relaxed expression on his face. It was a grim subject, but not one that he was uncomfortable discussing.

"There's nothing to it, as awful as that might sound. The first kill is almost always the worst of it, but in this line of work and no matter which side of the law you might find yourself on, you're gonna need to kill a lot as you get further up. That's what it means to be a guild mage, or even just to explore. We all die, and to postpone that for as long as possible, we also need to kill. That's life, y'know?", Tomoe responded to her honesty with his own, holding back nothing of his beliefs based on the things he had experienced while moving through life.

"...But, yeah. I think those are the exact situations which you can do good. There are gonna be people and things that ya just can't reason with, and when your options after that break down to kill, be killed or run away and let other people be killed instead... it's obvious what ya need to do, right? Whether you wanna or not, you can't deny that magic is inherently twisted and inseparable from death. Magic 'n death are a pair, and ya can't have one without the other.", the ronin spoke with confidence, knowing that while it wasn't a viewpoint everyone would agree on, it was the one that he personally knew to be true and refused to back down on.

For how glorified magic was, it was a curse in equal parts to being a blessing. There was no love of it for wizards of the modern age, instead seeing its practical breakdown and large scale manufactured potential rather than the mystery and romance of it all. In an age of such cynicism, Tomoe himself couldn't help being a cynic.

Tomoe's perceptive eye caught the girl's blush, but chose to say nothing. He got the feeling that any kind of teasing or verbal jabs towards those types of emotions would kill her instantly, based on his prior interactions with her. Thus, he kept his mouth shut, letting her react how she would; she truly was a stray puppy, but just so happened to be one with a lot of attitude and ambition. He could respect that far more after getting to know her somewhat, as adorable as it was to see it play out in the early stages she was still in.

"Me? Plans? Pffft, you're barkin' up the wrong tree, I do things my gut tells me to. Just wanted to make sure you were fine, 'n then I was gonna be on my way.", Tomoe admitted, running a hand through his hair and realizing that perhaps he had overreacted with his rush over here in the first place and getting a small flush on his cheeks as well thinking about what a try-hard 'hero' he must have looked like.

With the clearing of his throat shortly after and to save face in front of a person he had just given a small lecture to, Tomoe continued.

"There's Rush Valley, which is pretty close. It ain't much, but it's better than sleepin' on rocks, eh? I know where it is if you wanted some help gettin' there. I don't mind."

Tomoe reached into his traveller's bag and pulled out a flask, holding it out for Rinni to take.

"Water? Said you were thirsty 'n all.", Tomoe offered, taking a long swig from it first to prove that it wasn't a trick or anything of the sort.

Afterwards, whether she accepted it or not, he would shrug while staring up at the sky above, thinking about what he'd do next. There wasn't much left for him out here in the mountains, and admittedly it wasn't as exciting a place as he'd expected at first. He whistled, the shrill noise filling the wilderness, and after a few moments the fluttering of wings and intensifying of wind could be felt. From the sky descending before the two adventurers was a pure white Pegasus, which Tomoe walked over to casually. Petting its mane, he gestured for Rinni to follow with a grin equal parts welcoming and wild.

"After takin' you over to Rush Valley on this guy, I'll be on my way back to my guild over in Marigold. You got a guild of your own? You should come say hi some time if not, I'd love to see ya in action. Think ya could do some real good.", Tomoe continued, offering her a place in Penumbral Guard if she wanted it.

It wasn't something he would push for, and would simply ask once - but Tomoe did need to admit to some level of interest in seeing Rinni's progress and potential as an adventurer grow. He saw a spark ready to ignite before him, and if she would rather ignite on her own, so be it.

"No pressure though!", he concluded with a smirk and a wink, making sure to make eye contact with her if she looked away so she could know that it wouldn't affect anything regardless of her answer.

Regardless of her response, the Joyan would safely escort Rinni to Rush Valley in record time on the back of a Pegasus for a well-earned rest. He was satisfied with his adventures in Sieghart Mountains, and the conversation he had randomly stumbled across with a humble yet ambitious archer girl out in the middle of nowhere. While he didn't feel yet like he was a hero, it was moments like these that made him consider a single thought on the roads leading to Rush Valley and the brief reprieve from danger it offered.

Maybe this is enough.

---

- Exit -

In a short time, Rinni had grown to like Tomoe. She had, perhaps, saw him as a potential friend. Maybe a bit too quickly for a first time meeting. However, she couldn't help but like him. He was so relatable and understanding. He almost felt like her own brother, but less overbearing. He was understanding and her talk with him had actually made her feel better. He even comforted her, someone, about her plight in ending a life. She had hunted wolves and deer... but to kill a werewolf, a creature that was more human than animal, it affected her in a way she hadn't expected. She never wanted to experience that again, however, Tomoe explained further that that was life and was inavoidable.

She nodded solemnly, and as he mentioned Rush Valley she agreed appreciatively for his escort into town. He offered her water, which she graciously accepted, and then he summoned a beautiful white pegasus to his side. Rinni stared in awe as the magnificent creature landed. She took Tomoe's hand as he helped her to mount the gorgeous winged horse. She was nervous, as she never flew before, but as Tomoe mounted behind her and she felt his body against her back she blushed again and shook it off to enjoy the view as the beast lifted off the ground.

This was an amazing experience, and so very breathtaking. She peered over Tomoe's arms as he held the reins to the pegasus, guiding its path. He then did something she hadn't expected. He offered her to join his guild. She was flattered, but not sure if she was ready. There were so many other guilds to consider, and so much to learn before making such a huge decision. She bit her lip as the wind blew through her hair, sending goosebumps throughout her body.

"I'm flattered by the offer, Tomoe. Could you allow me time to think about it? It's a pretty big decision to make on short notice."

When he assured her there was no pressure though, including giving her a wink to confirm this, she smiled sheepishly and nodded as they enjoyed the remainder of the ride. The trip was quicker than she expected, and as she dismounted with Tomoe's help, she thanked the Joyan and waved farewell as he flew away. She watched until he was out of sight before heading into the inn to register for a night.

-Exit-