“Thank you for having me,” said Rania; her lips had curved into a smile and gratitude was written across every inch of her face. Her small hands held on to the card she’d been given and with a deeply solemn bow, she bid her farewell to the staff of the doctor’s office she had been working for and with for the past month. Time flew by, and Rania ended up being in Marigold Town for longer than she had anticipated. It wasn’t a bad thing by any means, but it had also thrown her out of the routine she otherwise valued so much.

Rania belonged in Magnolia, where she had been working and living peacefully, by herself, for a few years now. And she was happy there–or so she thought. The Paladin had come across a few interesting people during her time in the small farmers village, each of which had made her question whether she was ready to explore a newer, more different path in life.

With the card in hand, the young woman headed down the streets. It was late in the afternoon, past 5pm if she had to take a guess, and the streets were populated by men and women returning home from work and children playing with one another. The scenery was picturesque; it calmed Rania in this moment of uncertainty, when she didn’t know what she wanted anymore. She stopped by a winery and bought a bottle of red for herself to enjoy why she continued to think about the future. There were many routes a person like her could take; a quiet life in the countryside seemed ideal at this point, but also too uneventful. Rania was a Sorceress with significant talent and potential and she didn’t want all of that go to waste either.

Equipped with a bottle of wine, Rania returned to the apartment she had rented out for the time being. The owners were a friendly elderly couple who didn’t bother her too much and even granted her access to their porch and garden. Their establishment was, conveniently, not too far from the city center and the woman often spend her afternoons outside in the garden with a drink, silently watching what kind of people were walking by. For a town this small, Marigold surely had a lot of visitors after all. She took a seat by the garden table, poured herself a glass and heaved a sigh.

Rania had taken a peek at the card before, but now that she was able to properly read it, the content did end up making her a bit soft. The nurses and the doctor all had been incredibly sweet, but her time with them was over now. Rania took a sip from her wine and carefully held the piece of paper between her fingers; from her magic, a flame sparked and within seconds the card turned into ashes to be swept away by the incoming breeze. No need to dwell on something like that, she told herself. It was just then when the Paladin caught sight of a familiar face walking up the street, not too far from where she was sitting. With a curious head tilt, Rania stood up and waved at the Sinese male from afar.

“Jan Ren? Care to join me for a drink?”

His time in Marigold has been, growing stale. He knew that for a while now, though it turned the most apparent when workflow came to a sudden halt, and the Blue Pegasus mage found himself pulling his own leg just to find things to occupy him throughout the day. Sure, going out there and attempting cold approach with women was always an option; but with not much foundation, confidence wavering and reputation not serving him as well as he'd like, finding a girlfriend seemed like yet a difficult dream. It was downright not in his playstyle to be a player character, alas.

Mindlessly strolling down the streets one day with nothing better to do, simply going out to get a good breath of air, the Sinese pondered over his experiences in this city; which had grown dull by the day. The air was fresh, filled with different aromas he was sure not to find anywhere else. It was the main city in Fiore to inhabit a true farmer's culture, being somewhat of a centerplace countryside spot. Unironically, it'd draw several a soul to such. However, beyond that. It had little to offer, and his experiences in the city itself would be attributed strictly to its people. Both the locals and the travelers he met along the way.

Also, a particularly bad experience in which he lost one piece of clothing so very dear to him.

A sudden call from a familiar voice snapped the black-haired out of his train of thought, head turning sharply like a bird on alert. Long hair flipped with the simply motion, emerald hues locked onto the similar-featured woman sitting calmly by a porch in some private property. He'd easily recognized her, of course. The sole Desiertian, and Healer, he's ever met; Rania Okano. Well there was a pleasant surprise! "Rania!" He called out, chest stuck out slightly at the mere sight as the corner of his lips raised a tinge. Genuinely glad to witness eye candy like that there, again.

He'd took her for a traveler, so seeing her by herself in some garden seemed a bit out of place; in the first place, seeing her in this city again didn't look all that right. Sure, she knew some stores nearby and as such, it could be said that she's stayed in this place for a good while; however, it was also evident last time that she'd worked as a freelance healer with many a medical staff during her time. With the time passed since their first (and last) meeting and her lack of presence since, it could be understandable how the Sinese thought her gone. Still, he wasn't going to object to her presence. Ever. "What a pleasant surprise!"

Nonchalantly taking the big step over to the garden, Jan Ren reached closer; figuring to rest for a while. There was nothing better to do anyway, so let's drink. "I didn't know you lived in Marigold, Rania." He declared, taking a calm seat by her side. Just a tad close.

“I was wondering when I’d see you again,” Rania softly spoke; the young woman hushed inside, leaving the door to her temporary home slightly ajar as she fetched her friend an empty, clean glass. The Paladin was very much fond of company, especially at such a cozy hour and after such a long day. Rania returned to the table and found Jan Ren already having taken a seat by her side. Satisfied with how simple these first few steps of interaction had been, she poured the man a glass and returned to her own spot shortly after.

Their first interaction had been rather odd, and because of that she was able to remember it ever so clearly: the Sinese had enjoyed some berries that were known to be poisonous and suffered the immediate consequences, and while the healer was always happy to assist she couldn’t help but scold him a tad bit as well–it simply had to be done, Rania was maternal in nature like that.

“I didn’t think I did either, but I ended up staying longer than intended and needed a place to live, so I rented out this place,” with her glass of wine in hand, the woman with the emerald eyes gestured towards the nearby building. “I recently canceled my lease though, because I do plan on leaving this town soon.” Rania’s lips curved in a sweet smile and she turned back towards the man, allowing for their eyes–which she noticed again were of similar colour–to lock. “I just haven’t quite decided where I want to go yet.” He most definitely seemed different today–calmer, not as excited, in pain or on edge. With Masami not around she could also sense that there was overall less confusion and disorientation in his being and she once again wondered why it was that the blonde boy had such an effect on him.

"Maybe you can recommend something to me?"

Rania took a sip from her glass of wine and took her time in enjoying the red liquid; the weather was mild, the sun was slowly setting and a warm summer breeze got caught in her raven mane, twirling up a few strands of it ever so slightly. Running her hand through her hair to straighten it out, the woman let her gaze wander through the scenery for a bit before returning her attention back to Jan Ren. “It’s good to see you doing so much better,” she then complimented his current–and clearly healthy–state and gave him an almost mocking smirk. He might not look so stupid now, but he most certainly did back then. “What about you? You’re not from Marigold either, so what brought and keeps you here?” With a glass of wine in hand, the Paladin certainly wasn’t shy to ask a few more direct questions. And why not? He seemed to be an open-minded young man after all.

Much welcomingly, Rania shifted into her own house and brought the Sinese his own glass of wine to partake in the drinking too. While appearing all the more pleased and granting the woman the signature Sinese bow in gratitude, Jan Ren had some issues with drinking alongside a pretty woman. Not because of his own potential drunkard state (which was admittedly embarrassing as it), but because of the other's. It wasn't in his good taste to leave a woman more vulnerable, despite him being there to keep any mishaps from happening. Intoxication was an ironically honest, yet unnatural state, and he wasn't one to like persuading others like that. He wouldn't chastise at himself this time however, what with it being Rania's initial choice to partake. "Thank you. I honestly thought I'd only see you again in a different town, haha." He jested in reply.

Her explanation did raise some questions in him. Raising an eyebrow as his eyes remained locked on the beautiful woman in-front, Jan Ren listened attentively, despite the subject being relatively small-talk. He wasn't one to tell her where to go, but just as she'd made that apparent pause, which surely was in some humor. Thinking of taking the woman to his own quarters was, inevitable. --And quickly dispatched. Now's not the time for that. "Oh, you're leaving? Then I must be quite lucky to catch you here right before you head out." He made another humorous remark, cocking his head to the side somewhat, smile widening just slightly. "Hmmm. I guess..." How would he tell her something like that? "...it's the cabbages!" He abruptly decided, raising a finger as if he's had an idea.

"You know, Marigold's cabbage crops are probably the best in all Fiore. Jim also needed some extra help lately, so why not stick around." Phew, bullet dodged. Though it wasn't entirely untrue.

"Though that's temporary. I'll probably make a short stop at Hargeon for Blue Pegasus and then head out as well." He commented, taking yet another sip from his wine glass, then leaning back against his chair and looking to the scenery, breaking eye contact to briefly observe the people passing by. Surely the healer would notice quickly, with how perceptive she appeared to be at first; but the Sinese was a rather slow drinker. Especially with alcohol.

But that'd be enough of the Sinese. "Bold of you to cancel your lease before even having a destination in mind, Rania." The young man teased lightly, turning his head back to her as he remained loosely rested against the chair. "This is quite the apartment you've found yourself. But I suppose you're the type to travel around, huh." He made a far guess; with encountering the healer and his first impression of her playing part in such deduction. She was, after all, not remotely dressed as one who fit in. "If you're looking for a nice place to travel to. I hear Blue Pegasus made a short expidition to the recently discovered Myras City."

... "You could also consider making a detour to Hargeon."

“It’s good to know that I’m not the only one who has gotten themselves involved with Jim and his precious cabbages,” Rania laughed and obsidian locks danced around her skull; her cheeks had flushed red ever so slightly by now, as the wine was slowly showing its effects on her. “I have to say I have made my fair share of acquaintances here in Marigold, the locals are very peculiar.” The small southern town had been a delight, and she could very much see herself returning to this place in the future, but hailing from a far away country the woman sought more than what this quaint little place had to offer – and while returning to Magnolia City did seem like the safest option, it most certainly wasn’t what she desired anymore. Her emerald eyes fell on Jan Ren, and she shamelessly gazed at the young man with interest and wonderment.

“You’re an odd one, Jan Ren,” she spoke freely and gave him a sweet smile. He mentioned his guild, Blue Pegasus, and his plans to visit them and return to their city of operation – Hargeon Town. Hargeon Town wasn’t far away from Marigold at all, and known to be a beautiful port city by the sea. Most definitely worth a visit, she thought. “Everywhere you go, it always looks like you are out of place and yet you seem to have no problem inserting yourself and finding your spot. I envy that about you, I really do.” As someone whose homeland was far away from Fiore as well, she thought that the Sinese was most likely able to relate to her feeling ‘lost’, but in hindsight he was well adapted and seemed to know exactly where he belonged and where he wanted to be.

“My father was a traveling merchant, so I suppose I got that from him,” the woman responded to his assumption, but shrugged her shoulders at the same time. She gave her wine glass a swirl before taking another sip; it was almost empty now. “I do want to see the world, and I do want to use my gift more effectively.” Placing the glass down, she opened her hand and in her palm, a golden ball of light came into existence. She blew the ball towards Jan Ren, and even if he suffered from no pain or discomfort he’d experience some sort of relief.

“This magic of mine is too powerful, too efficient for a place like the hospital, where they already have enough experienced nurses and doctors. I can’t help but think that it was created for the battlefield, where it will have an immediate impact – where it will matter.”

She heaved a heavy sigh and leaned back in her chair. It was a frustrating matter, and she was being very frank and open with the Sinese now. Rania had often thought about how she was technically alone and that her magic had little impact or importance until she found someone to use it on, for the greater good. When Jan Ren spoke up again, the Paladin snapped out of her train of thoughts. “Myras, the Silver City, mh? Sounds magical.” Her expression became dreamy. “Is that where you are going?”  

"Oh?? You've dabbled with Mister Jim too?" Eyebrow raised as his stature leaned forward some, eyes widened just a bit as the Water wizard took in this new piece. He'd never took Rania to be one for physical labor, what with her apparent choice of profession and his own experiences with the cabbages being, less than stellar. "I was certain I was the only poor soul to run his fields for him! --Ah, the payoff was worth it, though." Kind of. A good cabbage-based meal and some money was always welcome after hard work, yet Jan Ren would have preferred to save himself from sweating in the harshening spring sun.

Upon her compliment, the Sinese was rather perplexed. He felt naturally flattered, vanity kicking in as he acknowledged validation as significant and relevant; inevitably smiling awkwardly, cheeks lightly flushed red. It held all the more impact with how attractive he found this young woman to be. "O-Oh... Heheh. Thanks!..." Despite all his practice and theory-revisions, Jan Ren didn't have much practical experience. Rarely receiving satisfying commentary from the girls he often interacted with; and being caught off-guard, he reacted with no prior preparation made. Though such was quickly caught on as the Sinese cleared his throat, straightening his back again as he leaned back over his chair; "...So you say but. You're quite good at fitting in as well, Rania." He commented; "In fact, perhaps better than me. You do have the exotic aura to you, but rather than alienate you, it boosts your pleasantry. It's refreshing, just by itself... And, you did fit in with Masami and I right away." He topped off, offering a friendly smile and a wink.

Upon recalling, the Sinese couldn't help but relive the unpleasant moments of stomach ache followed by apparent direct competition from the least expected competitor.

Taking in her brief explanation, he basked in the light feeling granted by her small display of power. Soothed some as he took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she spoke. He had his thoughts on the matter, of course; with his previous mention of both his guild's name and hometown, the thought to suggest a path for her turned all the more prominent mentally. He'd decided to hold off for a short bit before jumping the gun, yet the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Rania was indeed a very talented wizard in her own right, that much apparent from this recent attempt and her alignment with hospitals as a temporary hustle remaining stable up until now.

...Regardless. "Oh, no way." He rejected, almost immediately; matter-of-factly so, resting his face on an open palm as he took yet another sip from his half-full glass of wine. "The rest of the guild might have made the trek, but not me! Myras is a two day walk from Marigold, and atop a mountain too. It's isolated from everywhere else in Fiore! I'd much prefer a more populated spot for my next visit." He admitted, omitting the real reason why. "Perhaps Magnolia or Hosenka." Now those two were great.

... ..."--You know," He started once more. "You could put your talents to more battlefield use." The previous thought and her words turned to take over his contemplations. If he just asked, it wouldn't hurt, right?

"How would you feel about joining Blue Pegasus?"

When Jan Ren received her compliments with a delightful blush, the Paladin smiled in return. Sure, he was an oddball, but a kind-hearted and open-minded one and Rania liked that about him. He even gave back a few sweet words he had in store for her, and she nodded along in appreciation. “No one’s ever said something like that to me before,” she responded and gave him a meek smile. “Thank you.” He winked at her, and flustered by the gesture the raven-haired woman looked away and took another sip from her drink, emptying the glass. As their conversation continued, she couldn’t help but notice how comfortable she was around the sinese man; he was calmer now, and he didn’t seem to mind the odd circumstances they’d met over. A sense of normality she was grateful for.

He brought up the topic of Myras, and how isolated it was from the rest of the country and although she’d never given it much thought, Rania couldn’t help but to immediately agree with him. “Right,” she followed up and put on a thoughtful expression. Myras City was quite difficult to reach, and perhaps she would want to aim for a place more accessible for now. But at the same time, the Silver City was tempting her and just by hearing its name she wondered what sort of mysteries and people would await her there. “Maybe it’s worth the travel though?” She suggested and and found herself reconsidering already. Jan Ren suggested Hosenka and Magnolia instead, and while the latter was out of question considering that’s where she originally hailed from, Hosenka City was definitely an interesting choice.

“I have heard many good things about Hosenka,” she said and refilled her glass of wine. “It’s oriental charm and beautiful scenery make it very attractive for tourists. It’s also known to be a place of luxury and relaxation, something we could all use every now and then,” a quiet laughter escaped her lips as she went for another sip and allowed for her emerald eyes to gaze off into the far distance. She was beginning to daydream, when his suggestion snapped her back into reality. “Joining Blue Pegasus?” She repeated, suddenly in disbelief even though his words were everything but out of this world. Exhaling deeply, the woman put her glass down and smiled helplessly. He’d kind of put her on the spot there, but she was grateful for it.

“I’d like that very much, I think.” Admitting as much was already a huge step, but chances are that her kind was much better taken care of in a guild anyways, and if there was any organization she felt comfortable with joining, it would be one that Jan Ren was a part of. “Is that possible? To just have me join a guild like that?” Knowing very little about the process, Rania assumed that it was very complicated and involved a lot of paperwork.

With how welcoming and warm Rania appeared in their two sole interactions, the Sinese was under the full impression she'd received plenty a compliment in her time. Naturally oblivious to her pasttime activities besides voluntary medicine work -- which by itself was more than noble enough to warrant such pleasantry -- he'd only had her shown character to judge by; and evidently, his was struck as a positive impression. As such, this came as a surprise; not that he would let on much. "Oh? I thought for sure you'd be a lot more used to it." He remarked, lightly jesting. ...That's cute.

"Right?" Main reason aside, the thought of indulging himself in a pseudo-vacation was actually very alluring. Part of feeling some burnout was most likely due to overwork, which while the Sinese would hate to admit to escaping as of late, he'd easily claim it to have taken a toll on him on an earlier date. A good massage in the hot springs will do wonders. "Hosenka's recently gained some popularity, too. I reckon it's because it's finally summer." He wondered out loud, not minding the reasoning behind it much. "Either way, it's bound to be a great trip. Worth the travel, too." While all against pain and strain, Jan Ren could appreciate the long travel if the endpoint was worth his while and desires. That alone made justifying the walk a lot easier, what with coming up with the option of meeting interesting people on the way. "It could be nice if the rest of the guild came along, heh."

Though expected, what with him not being a Guildmaster and with his recent addition looking more or less the same, the Sinese couldn't help but smirk some. Closing his eyes momentarily, he nodded once. "Of course it is." It was great that she was willing in the first place, very much to the young man's delight. And he was willing to go the extra mile if it confirmed her place among his peers. "In fact, I came prepared with a stamp just for you! Let's get you in right away!" He exclaimed, taking yet another sip from his wine glass with a widened, playful smile.

"--I would have liked to say that, but." Obviously, such wasn't the case. "The official stamp will only happen at the guildhouse itself." Of course he wasn't carrying with him a convenient plot device like that. Not being the Master aside, Jan Ren really only ran into Rania unintentionally. Joke jabbed at the Desiertian woman aside, the black-haired was still serious; dropping his over-the-top antic for a proper explanation. "...That said. Master appears to be surprisingly lenient. Enough to allow even one like me the right to recruit on the fly." He admitted, looking into her eyes directly as he sat his glass down atop the table.

"If we're lucky, we might even manage that today. How about it Rania? Will you come with me for a quick detour?" Surely Alisa would be pleased to have another member among her ranks. Especially one hand-picked by Jan Ren himself! Talk about self-importance, huh.

Rania’s lips thinned into a bleak smile at Jan Ren’s words, and when he expressed surprised at her lack of experience with compliments the former slave’s mind twirled up memories of the past. It wasn’t a secret, and yet she’d never found it in herself to tell anyone about her origins and to be frank, Rania had yet to build up enough trust for someone else to find the courage to speak about her rather humble backgrounds. The Paladin was by no means ashamed of her past–this wasn’t her fault nor could she have helped the situation–but at this point in her life the woman often felt as though she would only burden people with the truth, and that’s not something she desired at all. And so she kept her mouth quiet.

The prospect of joining a guild was a much more delightful thing to speak about anyways, and when Jan Ren – just like that – accepted her request to join Blue Pegasus, the moment couldn’t have been more magical. First, he trolled her to which she responded by breaking into laughter and then he suggested that they simply travelled to Hargeon Town now, in this very moment, wine drunk and dressed in the same clothes as today and even though it sounded absolutely outrageous and ridiculously spontaneous, Rania was inclined to simply say yes.

“That’s so sudden,” she admitted meekly and a sigh rolled over her lips. Running a hand through her hair, the woman glanced at her surroundings, uncertain whether or not she wanted to let go of everything just yet, or give herself some more time to process. “I think I’ll give myself some time to recover first. Honestly, I just quit my job today and now I’m joining a guild already,” she continued and shook her head in disbelief at her own words. “But please, stay with me a little longer. I’d like to hear a bit about the guild, and everything it stands for. Besides, there is more where that came from.” Pointing at the bottle of wine, Rania gave Jan Ren a cheeky wink before the two of them continued to enjoy each other’s company over a glass of wine for the remainder of the evening.

Seems his joke had passed well! Score more points for the Sinese! Though jesting, his next bit was entirely serious; and holding confidence in the Paladin following along with the idea, Jan Ren had already leaned forward and placed his hands atop the table to help support himself up; preparing to move to Hargeon right away. In his mind, serving as the leading figure wouldn't just make him look cooler and potentially score further with the lady, but also help elevate his own capabilities. Perhaps, just maybe, the alcohol was getting to him despite how little he had drank so far. If it served to help boost how he carried himself, maybe it was better if he partook in drinking more often!

--And with that thought, he'd realized such was true. And as such, would abstain from drinking much more from now on. ...After today.

"Oh? Not now?" His lips pursed some as eyebrows raised, the Sinese slowly leaned back against his chair. Let down slightly by expectation, but not going to hold it against her by a longshot. "And here I thought I could show you around some, haha." The Sinese admitted, taking another sipping off the wine offered. "Very well. Some time else then I suppose." Don't fret. The invitation to stay and drink was, of course, very appealing. It'd be better if he stayed with the ravenette longer anyway. And through more talking, the two could get to know each other some more. Yes, all is good, all is good.

The two continued their little banter through yet another bottle of wine until finally it was high time for Jan Ren to leave back to his inn. Not because he'd gotten tired of hanging around Rania, but rather because the alcohol intake was getting a little too much for his preference. More than it already was.

Drink on moderation, kids.
Otherwise you'll find yourself waking up in some garbage can in the middle of nowhere, with a terrible hangover and missing pants.