An Evening For Sight Seeing [Liltotto, Sigurd]

Damn, training her butt off really ate the entire day... She swore it was barely sunrise when she started working the grounds. Orange, pink, and purple hues greeted her as the sun's glare drowned westward. Laden with sweat, she didn't feel exhausted - well in a physical sense, she'd been so deep in it mentally all day that she needed a breather. Apparently she was way deeper in it than she thought...

Did she really lose track of time like that? Sorta scary, but whatever; she sure was preparing herself for the next catastrophe to come way, as terrifying the thought was to keep at bay.

Ate some snacks, but decided to stop at a store for some additional snacks and drinks to drop in her bag. She didn't feel like going home - sitting on some public seating that faced the street, watching people go by. Some were together, their smiling faces bringing a mix of emotion to her.

..How was she supposed to keep this going?

That was probably the third can she cracked open, gulping down the foul liquid that did nothing but make her shudder from the taste. With a defeated sigh, she'd kick the empty can into the nearest can with hardly a glance - that shit really didn't do anything for her... Maybe she shouldn't have gotten a whole pack. Ugh. Well, she shouldn't waste drinks.

His contact will not be here for another day or two. A shame really. Delays in plans meant a delay in payment, but he made the mistake of taking on an assignment without securing any funds first. Normally, he would have carried out the transaction normally, but a personal investment in this situation loosened his terms. Next time there won't be any delays or mishaps.

However, the tall brunette did not carry himself with a chip on his shoulder. No one would be able to tell his current dilemma, for he hid it behind a mask of general content. The only sign of worry about Sigurd is the way his eyes busied themselves on the map in his hand. Surprisingly, he has never been in the City of Lights, but to remedy such, he planned to busy his free time with familiarizing himself with the area.

Adjusting his glasses, his eyes wandered from one street to another, pinpointing streets that matched his map. Though, even he knows that his endeavor is fruitless in a sense. Learning of individual streets will help him little if it ever comes to requirement intensive knowledge of alleys and shortcuts, but he'll do what he can for now. A tight laced city like this doesn't seem entirely kind to people being where they're not supposed to be, and he's not here to stir up any trouble today.

Seeing lost folk around here was entirely normal - the streets were pretty much the same color and the city could get labyrinthine at points to newcomers. Hell, she picked out two or three in the crowd even as she drank, hardly even a buzz hitting her attention span. A dawdler or two was normal... But.. Huh? Did he loop around or something? It'd only been a few minutes, did he take a wrong turn? Maybe he walked in a circle and just realized... Not her problem.

Halfway through a bag of snacks did she notice the same guy a third time. Okay, there was definitely something wrong - maybe she should make it her problem...

"Hey, brunet with the specs!" She'd call out to the guy with his eyes glued to the map and all huddled to himself, didn't seem like he even had a group. Was he a tourist or some business guy looking for someplace to eat or something? Looked more like the latter than the former...

"Y'need some help getting around? I live here n' shit!" The casual offer was tossed to the stranger. It wasn't like she had anything better to do, and if she went back to work her ass off she'd just get scolded by someone who actually gave a damn about her.

Brunette with the specs? What an absurd way of putting it. His environmental awareness isn't something to scoff at, so he had begun checking out if anyone else around matched the description he heard. He became aware that he is the only one that matched the brunette with specs descriptor thrown in his direction. His suspicions were verified when he found himself approached.

Well, his gaze did lower, but her way of speaking forced his brow to rise. The woman beside him lacked proper attire for a casual afternoon, but she seems to have finished working out. The way her face glistened with sweat made his observation easy enough to conclude. However, if she does live here, he should make use of her sudden intrusion.

"Why, I am currently trying to memorize my way. I suppose I probably did look lost, but if you may, a resident's know how would be of assistance."

His words seem a bit out of place, too proper for the situation, but he probably comes off as a businessman. A bit of stiffness shouldn't come off as out of place, but he hopes his stoic disposition doesn't come off wrong. Even if he did not want to be bothered when busy, he would rather not push away anything that'd help him fit in. For that reason, he forced a small wry smile in an attempt to make light of his own situation and appear friendlier.

Yeah, he definitely read at least as affluent or at least not trashy; that kind of expression told her that he probably didn't get talked to in the way she typically spoke often. There was a wondering or two if he thought she was some street rat that scurried by his foot or something, but she discarded the negative thoughts - no point assuming the worst about someone she just greeted.

Well, at least he sounded polite, cordial, and willing to at least consider her help. A shrug and nod of the head, she'd vanish away the remaining contents of the can in her hand down her throat with remarkable speed and hardly a swallow. In a seamless series of movements she would crush the can on the side of her head, toss it backwards, and give it a good back kick into the nearest light pole, bouncing downwards to land squarely in the trash as she went to collect her stuff.

"Where you wanna look first? I don't got anything for the rest of the evening, regardless of how I feel bout it. Not goin' home anytime soon either."

She very much presented herself as a scoundrel, didn't she, but Sigurd did not seem to pay any of her antics any heed. In his line of work, working with unsavory people is common. However, you also learn to never judge a book by its cover. He is a prime example of how easily warped a cover can become. For all he knows, this woman could be an outstanding citizen. She did make sure to throw her can into the trash, even if in a strange manner, so he will leave his thoughts on her until after they've finished interacting.

Besides, it as easy as it would be to find another resident for help, he did not wish to search for one. If she wished to help him, he will allow her, and someone like her probably knows more about the nook and crannies of the city than the average citizen. So, he kept his thoughts on her behavior in the back of his head, making sure he appeared at least a bit caught off guard to sell his prudish disposition.

"Well, miss, I see the commonly traveled shops of the city, but I was more interested in finding the more... obscure areas. I find the less explored parts of a city house the more unique and fascinating attractions."

Her disposition was tired and lackadaisical, as if her mind wasn't totally on the moment and her body simply operated automatically, hardly even a glance at her duffel would pull another can - she was intent on finishing the pack whether she liked the crap or not, and boy she hated the foul taste with no follow up. People really did drink this stuff for the effects over the taste, echk...

By time the well pieced together man finished his inquiry, the bottom of the can had been reached - she hardly looked like she breathed nor swallowed to get that much liquid down so quickly, her gaze scanning the immediate area for another container, addressing the man anyway despite her gaze being nowhere close to being on him,

"Oh, yeah. I know places like that top to bottom. If you were looking for some place to deal drugs or some shit, I don't care. Not like there's many running options and i'd just find you anyhow. Unless getting into potential mugging situations is some new fad with the fat pockets..."

There was one. A regular throw would get the can to the bin with surprising accuracy despite the distance and angle. Little thought was given to how potentially impressive it might have been, it was nothing remarkable to her, simply going for another can as she'd casually wave the guy with her to the nearest squeezing between buildings.

"Sometimes I find kids back here, so uh, don't be shocked if you come across a shorty or two during the day. Crime's not much of an issue here but it's still around."

An accusation thrown his way? A warning? If he were anyone else, normal one might say, he'd have probably found her company less than worth any information she could give. Even as he is, irritation was inevitable. However, the way she worded herself left him impressed that she is of the Vandenreich. The City of Lights is just a community, and the Vandenreich is its protector. With that in mind, her estranged accuracy is but a norm for Quincy, no?

"Drugs are a fool's quick cheat to money. As an architect, I only aim to see the city in its entirety, every nook and cranny. Many never realize, but valuable real estate is everywhere."

Alcohol is a fool's quick release from depression. However, she threw back her drink without hesitation or surface repercussion. Perhaps she boists means of fighting off its effect. However, it seems Sigurd has already become used to her behavior, moving with her rhythm in stride. That's only reasonable, yes? With his disguise, it's only natural he'd come to have little care for what a greedy businessman would find beneath him.

"There are probably a multitude of opportunity in a city so fresh and ripe," He added, his voice hiding the venomous meaning of his words.

Without any reason himself, he could care less about causing any problems, but he's already been in contact with few who use this city as a hideout. You may not find drugs or crime rampant, but behind every luster is a shadow. Fortunately, he's but a morally suspect speck doing his best to live a comfortable life with what little he has left, himself. With a small smile, he cemented the alleyway into his memory before turning his eyes down to his haggard companion.

A gentle elbow would be delivered to his arm with the response, a slight smile forming on her otherwise tired, bored face, "I'm just teasing, moneybags."

His statement only did more to bring some amusement to her, "Funny place to look for real estate. Only buyers you're getting are some cats and unwell dudes who got turned around on the way to a shelter."

There was some sense this guy was either very eccentric, or not entirely truthful of what he wanted to do. Not like it mattered, if he was jumping someone or even her she was sure she could handle it.. She could handle one nerd, she had to be able to do at least that...

With another can downed and tucked in a pocket of her duffel for later disposal, she'd side eye that weird comment, "Sure but... Y'don't gotta say it like a freako, dude. People're gonna think you're a creep talking like that."

Was what he said weird? Obviously, but what should he do about it? She's not expectant of anything out of the ordinary. Even if he is scheming, in a city like this, without perfect planning, he'd be stopped instantly. However, she seems pleased, and to that extent, he shows no ill will to the random physical contact. If anything, this opens the door to getting more out of this exchange.

"Haha! Did it?" He'd say, running a hand through his hair as his eyes focused on something else besides her. It'd come off as him seeming shy. In a sense, his ability to play an eccentric businessman did make him feel a bit self-conscious about his everyday life. He's become too common in the underground world. He's picking up their ways.

"I just get a bit excited when looking for possible opportunities. A place like this is so unique in its structure. I probably sound a bit dumb. This place must be just an everyday thing for someone like you."