A Fresh Start

[MementoMori]

This was a new city and it held new hopes for Mitri as he got off the bus that brought him here. He hated having to ride in such contraptions, but they were much faster than horses. So it was a necessary evil that he would make himself endure. It never failed he already had a low grade headache from his exposure to it. Still it could have been worse if he had not been wearing his customary skintight black leather gloves. For if he touched any bare skin to such metal, it would be burn him as well as make him deathly ill.

All he had to his name was in the old worn dusty grey knapsack over his left shoulder. He hated having to run like this to yet another city but at the time he hadn't had a choice. His troublemaking ways had him a deadly enemy in the form of a nonhuman mob boss. Though that was a different story. Still he would deal like he had always had and restart. Though he hoped that he might finally find a home here and maybe a purpose. A long life was well and good when one didn't keeping on making the same mistakes over and over.

Mitri inwardly shook his head in an attempt to quell those depressing thoughts and focused on the task at hand. First thing was on the docket was finding a place to stay at least for the night. And the second was finding a job.

He would definitely need to clean up before the whole job thing could happen. For he had been wearing the same worn set of gray hoodie, plain white t-shirt, black jeans and worn sneakers two days now. Yes it was gross but again he had valued his life more over cleanliness. So he had had no choice at the time. Running for one's life would do that to a person.

[pentagrandma]

Aislin had spent the better part of her day aimlessly exploring. She’d wandered downtown, surveyed the bazaar, and even treated herself to Dim Sum in Chinatown. Now, pleasantly full beneath the twilit sky, she thought it wise to retire for the evening. She’d dressed casually for her jaunt, wearing an oversized cropped hoodie in forest green, with white track-striping down the sleeves. A pair of high-rise, and excessively distressed, 'boyfriend' jeans were rolled and cuffed at the ankle, putting her classic ivory converse on display.

Practically swallowed up by a sleeve as it was, her right hand delved further into a pants-pocket to fish out a set of keys. She approached her car - a black, ’97 honda accord - and took a moment to be grateful that she’d parked on a one-way, driver’s side along the curb, as she fumbled with her keyring. At least she wouldn't have to avoid oncoming traffic. Upon finally isolating the key she needed, she clumsily dropped the set. It landed with a tumultuous jingle against concrete, a scant inch from the toothy mouth of a sewer grate. Jesus, that was a bit too close. With a sigh of relief, she bent down to pluck them up between magenta-painted fingertips - only to blunder anew on her way back upright. She grappled at air in a hasty scuffle, snatching for her fallen keys and failing miserably; a spectacle for anyone watching. They’d fallen past the grating with a wet plunk. Fuck.

“Shit. Fuck. Shit!” She so eloquently cursed, crouching over the gutter as she pulled out her phone with excessive care, and shined its light into the gloom. They were gone, with no hope of recovery; drowned within the murky depths of city sewage. Disgusting. She shouldn’t want them back after that, anyway. Thankfully, she had spares at home; assuming she could even get in without a key. She maintained her prone position, forehead falling against the car door with a dull thud of defeat. Figures. If she could get in touch with her landlord, she could get in. Would it be impolite to call this late into the evening? … Probably.

“Excuse me,” she called, lifting her head to seek out the attention of a man passing by, “do you know if this is a tow-away zone? … Or, will they boot my car if I leave it overnight?” It occurred to her after she’d asked that she could likely figure it out on her own, just by examining nearby signs. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to rise from her disheartened hunch; not yet.

[MementoMori]

Mitri was a few feet away when he saw the oddest thing out of the corner out of his eyes. It was a lady who was trying to stand up after dropping what seemed like keys. Damn...it almost looked like she was going going to fall over there in a second or two more but then she seemed to straighten. The problem with that there then was an ominous sounding plunk into the grate below at the exact same time. There went the keys. He had to wince lightly in sympathy.

It both sounded and looked like he wasn't the only one who was having a bad night. He had been only going to pass her by at first, but he felt a sort of kinship and a need to help after what he had just witnessed. Also she did look quite sad crouching with her head against the car door.

So when he was asked about her car, he had to shake his head. "I'm sorry. I don't know if it is or not." he started to say. "But I think that I might be able to get your keys before they fall down much further." he offered softly.

It was granted that he couldn't use obvious magic to draw them back, but he could use string, duct tape, a small jar cap and a flash light to fish out. If anything this would hopefully net what they were looking for. And if not he might be able to nudge them the way he wanted with just a little magic. The key was to make it look like luck. Too much and humans tended to either fear or ask questions that he wasn't ready to answer.

[pentagrandma]

Ash curved her lips in what she’d intended to be a grateful smile - but, rather, it took on somewhat of a cynical shape instead. She couldn’t help but to feel a little embarrassed, knowing that he’d seen the whole shameful event pan out. Still, it was a kind offer, especially coming from a stranger. “I’m fairly convinced they’re well and gone,” she began dejectedly, “but if you feel like you want to try, anyway, I’d really appreciate it.”

Slowly, she rose from her crouch, flattening a palm upon the side of her car for extra support. After tucking her phone safely away - fearing that it, too, might soon be entombed in sewage - she sidestepped to allow the man the necessary space to appraise. She began to worry at her nails, anxiously chipping away at the vibrant polish as she awaited his thoughts.

[MementoMori]

Mitri lifted up an eyebrow slightly at her grateful/cynical smile. For it was easy to see elements of both in it. Though he couldn't blame her for feeling that way. For she was having a hell of a night already. So he would help her and see where the rest of this night went. Still for her dejected words, he cracked a small smile and shook his head lightly. "I doubt that yet, but I'll try. Call it my good deed for the day." he said softly as he knelt down beside the grate.

Next he opened up his bag to snag his handheld flashlight in order to try to peer into the gloom of the grate. Hmm, at first he didn't see anything but then there was something that looked like almost like a small piece of buried metal. This had to be it. "I think that I see it. Now I'll I need to do is get it for you." he said softly before rummaging in his bag again. Next he pulled out a long piece of string, the duct tape and the jar lid.

Yes he knew that the combination was odd but he already pictured how to use it in his mind as the lure he needed for the keys. First he tied the string around the jar lid itself twice, first around the front and then next crisscrossing around the back. Then he tore off pieces of duct tape to apply to the jar lid in a cross with the pieces just long enough to meet on the other side. This was to secure the jar lid in place. He wrapped one last piece around the middle where the string now sat in the middle to secure that part.

He then went to try to slip said contraption in the grate and slowly unwound the string with one hand, lowering it into the muck."Now let's see if we can get a little lucky." he told her as he wiggled it around, centering around that spot where he had just seen her keys.

[pentagrandma]

Aislin’s smile twisted toward something more genuine as he spoke. It was a good deed - even if he proved unsuccessful in the venture. “Oh!” She enthused, when told her keys were spotted. “You see them?” Further brightening, she couldn’t help but to hover over him - leaning forward inquisitively and practically thrumming with nervous energy. “Interesting collection of goods you have there,” she observed, arching a brow of her own as he assembled his little snare. Duct tape and flashlights were handy enough, she supposed, but she wondered what regular task might necessitate keeping the rest on hand. As the newly-assembled rig dropped through the grates, she offered a polite, “I can hold the light for you?”

It was then that she made note of his gloves. Wasn’t it getting too warm for that? Summer was just around the corner… Maybe he was some sort of germophobe. The thought was dismissed as swiftly as it came; no person suffering any measure of mysophobia would endeavor to help a stranger fish her keys out of sewage.

[MementoMori]

Mitri glanced up at her anxious but hopeful words and offered her a small smile. "I think I just might have seen them. I saw something metallic down there when I shown my light on it." he explained before he sat back to build his small snare. The poor lady was more than a obviously nervous about this. Still he couldn't blame her. For one's life tended to revolve around one's keys and without them a person was up you know creek without a paddle.

At her comment, he shrugged a little and said. "I find that it doesn't hurt to be prepared. So I like to carry a small stash of knickknacks that can be made into other things as a just in case." he said softly as he dropped the the snare past the grate. "Yes please. That will help alot." he said sincerely as he smoothly held out the flashlight for her to take.

Once she accepted it, he went back to the task at hand and focused on trying to fish out her keys. He carefully wiggled it over to where he saw the metal and slowly caught something. "I think that I've got it." he announced as he began to pull it up. "Can you please aim the light a little higher up?" he requested.

((OOC:You decide if he managed to grab her keys or if he snagged something else. ))

[pentagrandma]

When his gaze lifted, she met it - and marveled at how insanely blue it was. The street lights had illuminated, and she could tell even beneath the meager light that they provided. Like the wings of a morpho butterfly. She’d never seen one in person, but she’d admired plenty of photographs; enough to compare the two. She didn’t think she’d ever seen a pair of eyes so blue.

Her smile remained as she accepted the flashlight, in a motion that was far less smooth than that in which it was offered. Thank goodness she had something now to occupy her hands. She had only just polished her nails that morning. Now, she’d have to do it again.

At his direction, she aimed the light a touch higher, squinting past the grates to examine what he’d caught. Was that…? Something yellow, and dotted with red. “You got them!” She blurted. That charm was unmistakable; a miniature slice of pizza made keychain. Very in vogue. She could cry, she was so relieved - but, instead, she laughed. And laughed, and laughed. It was the only thing she could do to keep the tears at bay. Without those keys, she’d have had to spend a night on the streets, with nowhere to go. (Or, she could have just called her landlord.) She’d only brought with her as much cash as she’d wanted to spend, and she didn’t want to spend much.

Composure was finally regained when she took claim of the keys with careful fingertips, heedless of muck. She wanted to hug the stranger that had helped her, but wasn’t sure it would be well-received. “Thank you so much,” she stressed. “Seriously - you’re a life saver! Can I repay you somehow? A ride somewhere? Or dinner? Anything,” she offered alternatively, clicking off the flashlight and passing it back. She was going to have to find somewhere to stash a spare key, to prevent future mishap.

((OOC: I couldn't decide, so I flipped a coin! I guess luck really was on their side.  ))

[MementoMori]

((OOC: Haha, whatever works. ))

As their eyes met again, Mitri could not help but notice how pale green hers were. Though pale green wasn't quite the word for it. The shade reminded him of absinthe after a cube of sugar had been lit a flame and mixed within, just barely green and sweetly mysterious at the same time. It intrigued him. For in his long life not many had eyes like this.
It made him wonder if an ancestor of hers was of his kind. Though before he let himself think more on that he focused back on the task at hand.

So as she shown the light higher, he carefully reeled what he had caught. At her exclamation, he allowed a small grin to cross his features as he pulled them and his contraption out of the grate. He had hoped that he had gotten it on the first try without the use of magic. Luck apparently was on their side tonight. The sound of her laughter brought a smile to his features as he rose to his feet.

"Your keys, my lady." he announced just a little debonairly as he carefully handed them back to her. Yes they were a little mucky but muck could be washed off and it was better than a night on the street or worse. It was one thing for him to do it but completely another for an innocent human to.

"You're welcome. I am glad to be of service. My name is Mitri." he said warmly. Then at her mention of food, his stomach gave a demanding rumble, making Mitri flush slightly as he accepted the flashlight, "I apologize about my noisy stomach but dinner would be wonderful."

[pentagrandma]

“My lady?” She echoed with a tone of humored incredulity. That was a first; she found the title bizarre, but endearing. “Ash,” she supplied thereafter, exhaling a soft gust of laughter. “For Aislin, not Ashley.” Another laugh left her in the wake of his stomach’s complaint. “No worries - dinner, it is.” She’d already had hers, but she could order a dessert so he didn’t feel like he was eating alone. A dessert and a drink. She deserved a drink.

Aislin took painstaking measures in order to keep from dropping her keys a second time (or would it be third, now?) - looping her middle finger through one of the rings and clasping it tight. After separating the key to her car from the others, and subsequently opening the door, she bent down to stretch across the driver’s side toward the glove compartment. “What do you want to eat?” She asked, affording a momentary backward glance toward Mitri as she sifted through the contents therein. Ah! There it is! Palming her credit card, she ducked back out of the car - scooping up a bottled water from the cup holder along the way. It was meant to be for emergencies, but… she thought to spare herself the potential embarrassment of being unable to cover the bill. Better safe than sorry.

She locked the door from the inside, closing it as she relocated to the safety of the sidewalk. There, she unscrewed the cap from the water bottle, and poured the contents over her keys. Just a rinse; she’d give them a more thorough wash later.

[MementoMori]

Mitri grinned at her humored comment as he packed away his things in his pack. "I thought that it fit the silly strangeness of our current situation." he explained with a smile and a shrug. His eyebrows when he finally got her name. It was a slightly unusual one, but pretty nonetheless. "Ah...Ashlin. It means dream if I remember correctly. Anyhow it is a pleasure to meet you, Ash." he said pleasantly. He hoped that he wasn't coming across too akwardly, but it was hard not to when it comes to meeting someone new. Part of him wanted to extend out a hand for her to shake but he wasn't certain how well that would go down. "I'm sorry I tend to babble a little when it comes to being around a pretty lady." he said sincerely.

His lips twitched a little in amusement at the extra care that she used when it came to opening up her car. It was not that he could blame her. For she had been through enough when it came to her keys for one night. Also he could not blame her for rinsing them off afterwards. After gods only knew what they had been in.

"As for dinner, thank you, Ash. I appreciate it. I am new to the city and haven't eaten in sometime." he said softly, watching as she locked up her car and stepped back out, "To be honest I'm game for pretty much anything. I am not that picky."

[pentagrandma]

Ash took the praise to her looks well. In the short time she’d spent in the city, she’d already seen a surplus of beautiful people, and it pleased her to count herself among them. Who didn’t enjoy a good compliment? She allowed her pleasure to take shape in the form of a smile; one that served to ignite a spark of delight within her gaze. “Flattery will get you everywhere with me,” she said, before adding a belated amendment of, “… Well, most places.”

With another exhalation of laughter, and a minute shrug, she tipped her head in indication of direction. “Why don’t we take a walk and see what lures us in?” She suggested. “Just point out the first place that attracts, and we’ll go; wherever you want. Call it my good deed for the day,” she added, in echo of his earlier words.

She started forward, trusting him to fall into step at her side, and commenced her own short(ish) bout of rambling. “You’re right about my name; it means dream. My mom said she’d dreamt about me before she realized she was pregnant, and that’s why she picked it. I’m actually new to the city, too. I’ve only been here for about a week. I’m kind of overwhelmed by it all, but I do love it. I’m originally from Montana; a real small town, you wouldn’t have heard of it... When did you get in?”

As they walked, Aislin’s arms swung blithely. She observed the night-illuminated cityscape with the occasional up-tilt of her face, admiring high rises and neon lights, and smiling at people they passed. She was taken by it all; utterly enamored. She would miss the starry skies and fresh winds of home, sure, but this-- this was in an entirely different realm of artistry. She couldn’t imagine ever tiring of it.

[MementoMori]

A light flush then tinged his cheeks but then he had to laugh at Aislin's amendment to it. "That's good to know. I'll be on my best behavior then." Mitri said with a teasing wink as he slung his bag back on his shoulder. He couldn't resist playing lightly with her. For it seemed like they were on a similar wavelength so far.

He inclined his head at that and smiled warmly. It was almost as good as an idea of following one's nose to find something good to eat. It was an old game that he had played with his previous paramour in order to find those little hole in the wall restaurants that had the best particular dish of some kind. "It sounds like a plan to me. This way we can find something good to satisfy my beast of a stomach and get something nice for you at the same time." he agreed softly.

As Aislin started off, he smoothly fell into pace beside her. Mitri did his best not to appear to unusual in his gait. For Aislin might see through his guise and guess at what he was. It was a habit that he usually adopted when around a human who he didn't entirely know yet. It was sort of of the stance of better to be safe than sorry.

"Well it does suit you Ash and it is an adorable story. As for my name, it is alot stranger. For it means lover. Yeah I know cheesy, but what can I say my parents were odd." he said with a small self deprecating shrug. Half of this was the truth and half was reality. For his parents were indeed strange. Though he didn't like talking about them because of what had happened so long ago.

"As it so happens, I am new to the city as well. I literally just got off a bus here from New York when I saw you having your issue with the grate." he said with a smile. Answering where he was from should have been easy but he didn't want to entirely lie to her after she had been so kind to him so far. Also New York was the latest in the cities that he had been to, not the original small town he had first come through in Europe from his realm. In essence he was hedging around the truth, but it helped him to feel better and just focus on enjoying the night with Aislin.

He then lifted his nose slightly as he caught the whiff of something that was fried and absolutely delicious on the wind. "Mmm...do you smell that? If I'm not mistaken that is fried chicken." he asked, his stomach once more giving an demanding rumble. His blue eyes glanced around to see where it might be coming from.

[pentagrandma]

His name meant lover? Strange, indeed. Ash wondered if his parents had known what it meant when they’d decided on it - and, if so, had they hoped he’d live up to the name in some way? Or had their interpretation of its meaning been a less romantic one? “Weird,” she couldn’t help but to say, in reflection of the sentiment. Still, she smiled, and put it swiftly out of mind to carry on the remainder of their conversation. “New York, huh? I’ve got some family on the east coast, so I’ve been able to visit a couple of times. Another beautiful city,” she commented. “I guess we caught each other at just the right time,” she added around a soft laugh.

Likewise, Aislin began to search out the source of the scent with her gaze - coming to a halt midstride. Her lips pushed into a thoughtful little moue as she sought out the establishment, eyes momentarily squinted, before she let out a declaration of, “Ah! There!” She pointed to a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, with an aptly detailed sign reading: Soul Food.

She started forward anew, hastening toward the door and drawing it open for her new companion.

[MementoMori]

Mitri shrugged at that, glad for the shift to a different subject. His name meaning was a odd one but he chalked it up as a decision that his parents had made after a little too much wine at the temple. Still it could have been worse. He had had some friends named after more embrassing things. So he definitely could relate to children of ex-Hippies. For the circumstances around their names weren't all that different.

"Yes it is. It is a huge place with many layers. As for here, it feels very similar so far. No less as beautiful." he said with a smile. It turned into a playful grin at the sound of her laughter. For it was very true. They had met each other when Aislin had needed somebody the most.

His blue eyes widened with delight at her exclamation, following her finger to the sign at the source of that delicious smell. Mm..fried chicken sounded like just the thing he needed after his long trip. "You've got a great nose, Ash." he complimented her with a happy smile as together they moved towards the restaurant.

"Thank you." he said as she opened the door for him and he stepped inside. Mitri then move to the side to wait for her to enter so that they could find a place to sit together.

"So tell me about yourself. What made you come to the big city, Ash?" he curiously asked.