Wind blew through cobble and sunlit streets, spiraling through the capitol. The normally bustling town had died down temporarily, its citizens caught off guard by the biting wind that had presented itself. The temperature had dipped lower than it had been all year, and it hadn't just stopped there. It had already broken records as the coldest it had been in December on record, and the steady gales made it feel even worse. Many whom would have been out patrolling the streets for Christmas adorned buildings to rediscover that night had decided that today would be a day of rest and relaxation, sheltered from the numbing grasp of winter.

The sun beat down with its same intensity, and yet its warmth could only be felt behind a pane of glass. Cats and dogs stared into the street, wondering how long they'd have to wait to frolic with their loved ones. The few who dared enter the street caught the gazes of the four legged companions, and piteous glances from those who rested by warm fires. Many were dressed in cloth that dared snow to fall, and most seemed to be fairing decently against the chill that drilled through every nook and cranny.

Most, however, did not mean all. While the citizens of the capitol and the mindful tourist had thought the day through before venturing out, there were others who had not prepared for such unprecedented weather. A single boy, draped in a light jacket with a white hood and blue jeans that almost invited the cold to his legs, made his way through the streets with as much speed as he could. Hunched over himself while he walked as if trying to preserve his own warmth, passerby's could hear the sound of teeth chattering and shaking breath.

Blue eyes glanced out behind the white hood, scanning for any building the looked both free and warm. Due to the reflection of the light, his iris had almost a purple reflection that brought a mysticism to his look. Before long, his gaze showed a glimmer of hope as a familiar building came into view. He had lost track of where in the town he was, due primarily to his gaze spending most of its time on the cobble in front of him. Hunching over oneself for warmth did not leave much room for things such as taking in the surrounding area.

The building was where many of the creators within Crocus showed to stake their ground and earn their claim. Leather, wood, iron and a plethora of materials both raw and refined were brought in and transformed into the lifeblood of those who lived outside the safety of cities. Adventurers and mages alike convened in this location to look for high quality gear that would give the extra protection or damage that drew a line between life and death. At the very least it was a place that one could go to admire the handy work of the masters of their trade. At the most, it was a paradise for those who dreamed of attaining the invaluable aid of crafted guard and weapons.

Pushing through the doors meant almost immediate relief, as the dry warmth of the building poured out through the opening. Rushing into the entrance area, the hood was immediately thrown of the under dressed mans head. Rubbing his hands together and bringing them to his ears in an attempt to warm them quicker, the blond looked around. He'd been inside the building a couple of times now, but it still was a marvel to him. A single place where so many creators set up shop, and it was beautifully crafted. In his wonderment, however, he failed to remove himself from directly in front of the door. Anyone attempting to enter at this point would likely find themselves bumping into a rather sturdy, albeit cold, young man.

As Finn processed the barely audible apology, he quickly jumped away from the door and looked back. He hadn't realized exactly how close he had been to the door, but he was fairly certain that he was the one who should have been apologizing. His ability to do so was delayed by the strain in his face, still tight from the cold that had pelted against it for so long. Before he could get any such words out, she commented on his lack of dress for the weather at hand.

Without realizing it, hands still rubbing up and down his arms for warmth, he looked at her with a piteous gaze. "Yes, I am," he said with disappointment laced on his words. "I didn't realize that it was going to be this cold this fast. Do you think one of the vendors would sell some warmer clothes?" Casual conversation with a stranger, it was one of the benefits he was learning of for being in a new town. He spent so much time focused on Jake when they were together that he rarely got to do simple things like this.

She spoke true. The crowd within the Artisan building was thick, full of people whom either wanted to escape the cold or see the multiple wares that were housed within. Even for the most powerful of mages, the physical ability that it would take exceeded what most magicians had. That was not to call them weak, but addressed the fact that they didn't often train their bodies. The people who came into artisan style buildings were often either mages themselves, or people such as Finn. Adventurers whom participated in work that was considered suitable only for magicians, despite wielding no magic of their own. Beast masters who trained to tame monsters much stronger than themselves.

It was a difficult task for someone small, like herself, to deal with the crowd. Such conclusions would normally never pop into his head. He knew better than anyone that appearances rarely told the whole story, so he had stopped assuming what people were capable of based solely of what his eyes could take away. If she was saying it herself, however, it was a safe assumption that she couldn't deal with the crowds well. With his shivers dying down and the warmth of the room finally beginning to thaw his bones, the idea struck him.

Flashing a smile and holding out a hand in offer to her, whether or not she'd take it, he decided that introductions were in order. "I'm Finn, an Adventurer from Blue Pegasus. I'd be more than happy to help you through the crowds if you'd help me find some warmer clothes!" It seemed like a fair enough trade, and one that would come with a friendship.

Finn flashed her a smile, one that was as genuine as any smile could be. People had commented before that his face showed emotion more than many, and that was something that even his guild master had noticed. People, when they lived around other people, learned to control their facial expressions more. It was a defensive mechanism, perhaps? Finn, however, grew around beasts and dogs, far away from society. He knew no such cautions. Taking her hand in his and shaking it firmly, though not crushingly so, he nodded. [color#=3366ff]"Nice to meet you, Melanie! Lets go!"[/color] With that, he turned and began to approach the crowd.

People were moving in all directions, hardly sparing time to slow down. Shoulders clashed, grunts were heard, and yet all of them still did their best to avoid acknowledging any other presences. Finn seemed completely unaffected by this. Reaching back and taking Melanie's hand in his so that she'd not be separated from him, he took in a deep inhale."Exuse me!" His voice held power and authority, and with that he began to walk through people. While many others had bumped off of other patrons, causing both parties to shift due to it, anyone who bumped into Finn felt like they'd hit a brick wall, bouncing back away from him. He was like a sole rock in the middle of a river, parting the currents to that Melanie wouldn't even get grazed.

Plowing his way through the crowd, her direction skills from the back turned out to be very useful. Despite his ability to now move freely through the crowd who had taken to avoiding him completely, he made to the area she indicated. Sure enough, this vendor had both jackets and warm looking shirts on display. Hats, pants, gloves- It was all scattered throughout the wares if one just paused long enough to look around. "Oh you're right! Good eye, Melanie!" Flashing her a quick smile over his shoulder, Finn released her hand from his own and rushed forward.

Where they had made it there was no real movement of the crowd. They were within the influence of this little shop now. Whether it was common courtesy or the shop-keep had managed to drive the hoards away, this area seemed pretty well kept and without the normal hustle and bustle. Finn's eyes were obviously caught by the white and blue based clothing, the lighter the blue the more excited his reaction. Glancing at Melanie with stars in his eyes that indicated his enthusiasm, he pointed around with both hands. "This is so cool! What should I get?"

Finn looked at the jacket. It wasn't exactly something he'd normally pick. His taste usually lied in a blend of colors, but each individual garment being of a singular color. For example, a light hood that was pure white beneath a sky blue t-shirt. This design was something that he'd never have even considered on his own. With her pointing it out, however, he quickly realized that it matched his strict taste of color. Hell, it went above and beyond. The shirt he was wearing only had one of his favorite colors- This jacket had two!

"Wow, no kidding," he said with a grin, grabbing it and not paying any mind to the price tag. To the onlooker, he likely was acting like a spoiled rich brat. The truth was, he simply didn't have a deep care for money. Money was there to get what you wanted from other people who were willing to part ways with it. The idea that something that he thought would of as "nice" would cost a bit of money was something he just took for granted. "Think I should get pants too? I feel like shorts would be fine with a jacket like this, but I don't know. I don't do this sort of thing normally."

Finn stared blankly at her for a few minutes before glancing down at the nearby jeans. Walking over and awkwardly looking at them, he grabbed the first pair that was his size. Staring at them for a couple of moments before looking back over to Melanie, Finn flashed a large smile and held them up. "Got them!" Quickly walking back over, he asked her to wait for him for a brief moment as he made his way to the checkout and purchased his items. "Just one more second!" Running into the changing rooms, Finn stepped out with his new clothes. The jeans fit, though they were tight due to it being their first time being worn. His shirt fit perfectly. The clothes he had worn in that had become replaced now sat in an unfolded mess within the bag the new clothes were originally in.

"Guess your end of the deal is done," he said, laughing a little. "Thanks for that. You know, now that I'm stopping to think about it this is kind of crazy. I literally just met you, and you're already helping me shop. You don't even say anything about how I walk around with people. Jake always tells me I'm being a butt."

She obviously couldn't know who Jake was, but his excited way of explaining things was akin to a man talking about his passion. Shrugging he offed the store one last look around before turning his attention back fully towards her. "Where to next Melanie? No way you only came here for me. What will we be getting you?"

As she questioned the random name that had been thrown in, Finn found himself taken back. For the briefest of moments, he'd forgotten that he had mentioned his brother. Hearing her ask about him, for a moment, made Finn both suspicious and excited. Mere moments later the realization that he had mentioned his brother himself hit him, and he relaxed a bit.

"Yeah, Jake is my older brother. He encouraged me to join Blue Pegasus, and he usually travels with me and junk."

As she offered a light laughter, and Finn couldn't help but allow his eyes to linger for a moment. This had only been the second time that she had offered a smile (or in this case a laugh), and he had to admit that he preferred her in a state of joy. Something about people with a smile on their face seemed right, and it was something that caused Finn to smile too.

"Sounds good! I'll get it for you as a thank you for helping me out so much, if you're okay with that!"