City Crossroad [Open]

Just a rather average street intersection of the City, littered with small shops and the like. People making their way between the different sectors of Era, be it on an errand or simply returning home.

Ulrich had found himself a nice spot on one of the corners, buying a small cup of coffee from the shop he loitered in-front of as not to be too much of a leech. He had his satchel laid out with a few of his own Jewel set onto the sprawled out flap, making it look like some others may have tossed him some money already as he sat there. Why? Because shortly after getting comfortable he went to 'work', opening the other container he'd carry with him. From inside the grey duffel-bag he retrieved an old Violin, spending a few moments making sure it was tuned and his bow nice and rosined.

The paunchy reptile let his eyes close as he sat against the coffee shop's front, bow dragging across strings to resonate a swaying melody. Sadly from the listener's perspectives, it seemed like something was missing from his performance. Ulrich playing one half to a duet, making his playing change from an emotional lead role to a calm supportive pattern. The creature 'listening' to the other half in his mind, playing along with his memories.

Sam wandered through the streets, looking around at all the magic being used in this place. The sheer number of lacrima and other magical devices a far cry from what he was used to. He had grabbed some of the buffet food to go in a satchel before he headed out into the city, not interested in the white washed dining hall that was at the Hotel. He munched on a cookie, looking into the window of a jewelry shop.

He could never imagine getting a hold of or even wearing something as expensive as that in public. Such things just seem like a call to the world to say 'here, steal from me'. Besides, his mental image of himself decked out in gold chains and 'bling' like their mascot was made him cringe. The busy streets were less so as h got away from the stadium and the hotel. The allure of the more quiet roads of Era was simple, fewer gawkers, fewer 'fans', and more subtly impressive scenery.

The smell of coffee caught his nose after turning a corner along with the growing sound of a rather lonely violin. Following the scent and sound, he found himself standing in front of a coffee shop with a similarly scaled creature playing a violin. He was.. shocked at first, having never seen anything like himself before. Sam cautiously approaches Ulrich and crouches, staring at the close-eyed reptilian humanoid before him, examining the creature to make sure it looked real. "I would not have expected to see anyone like me in Era.. or ever really." He said to Ulrich with a mix id curiosity and apprehension.

Ulrich spent a good amount of time in-front of the shop, making some spare Jewel from passerbys. Always offering a respectful tip of his skull to the individual when he heard the clatter into the flap of his satchel. Looping through his song quite a few times, always seeming to play just the one side of the two player song.

He seemed to not have even noticed Samael speaking to him at first, just continuing his part to an imaginary duet for a few moments before he took attention to the figure standing near and not moving. He trailed off on a trilled note before lowering the violin some, giving a rumbled laugh as he looked up. "Oh! k'Heh.. Haven't seen anyone from the swamps in a few years now." Ulrich's head tipped in respect, setting the instrument back to his shoulder and jaw, bow at the ready. "Any requests~?" he asked with a flashy grin, seeming to see the other reptilian as just another person rather than a possible 'kindred' Samael might have hoped for.

Sam looked a little disappointed that the other reptilian did not look the same sort of surprised as he did. "I'm not from a swamp, but.. you are?" He stands back up from his crouch and wanders closer.. "No request, but.. Maybe you could tell me more about yourself and others in your swamp?"

He sets his satchel down and sits next to Ulrich, "What are you doing here in Era anyway? You don't look the type to be interested in the tournament." Sam kept his eyes on Ulrich, not certain what to think of meeting someone that looks similar. His gaze stays on Ulrich, wondering if he is also capable of magic.

The pot-bellied critter lowered his instrument as conversations appeared to be his next act. Carefully setting the old thing back into that grey duffel-bag, though just setting the rosined bow just on top for now.

"I'm not from a swamp, but.. you are?"

His head nodded a bit with a quaint, toothy smile to the question. Hands taking to his only half emptied cup of coffee. Cheap, black, and rather cold by now. He didn't seem to mind as he took a tiny sip for flavor, trying to stretch it for the whole afternoon. Setting the cup back next to him, he absently itched the weight of his neck as he watched the other reptilian fidget about and make his seating - Not interrupting him until the other got himself comfortable.

"No request, but.. Maybe you could tell me more about yourself and others in your swamp?"
"What are you doing here in Era anyway? You don't look the type to be interested in the tournament."

Ulrich's eyes flickered a bit between squinting and just blinking in disorientation, two loaded questions spewed out one after another without time for him to even think. "Rhh.. Eh-hegh" he started off in a chortle, before working up some words as he sat there against the front of that coffee shop with another croc' it seemed. "Guess I'll try'n answer all that in order, eh? Lesse.."

He laid a talon to his own, bare chest a moment as he spoke. Half looking towards Samael, while at the same time just sort of staring off as he got the words churning out. "m'Names Ulrich. Ah-" he started, pausing just as quickly as he began to offer a polite dip of his head to Samael and a mild gesture of his palm from his own chest to Samael's. "Almost forgot them pleasantries~ s'A pleasure t'Meet'cha, n'All" he greeted with that fangy smile still, his palm closing and opening once again in that gesture to Sam'. "n'You?" he closed on, head tilting faintly to his own query.

Sam nodded to Ulrich as he was introduced. "My name is Samael. Sorry for the questions, I've never met anyone like myself before. It is good to meet you as well." His hand drifted to the satchel he had brought with him and opened it to make sure the food he had grabbed wasn't all a mess. He lowered his head a little, looking down at the road between his legs as he sat there, his tail curled around behind himself and against his side to stay out of the way of the feet of passerby, carts, and other transportation.

His gaze settled back on Ulrich. This other reptile must have lived a completely different life if he's from a swamp.. and if there are others that look like himself that live there as well. It doesn't appear that whatever life that Ulrich had led in the swamp was too bad off either judging from the creature's rounded middle. "Maybe it wasn't right of me to ask such questions right off. I am simply excited is all."

He was trying to be more reserved about it but he was rather eager to know more about what he is and such. He reaches into his satchel and takes out some of the food he wrapped up. "Maybe we could talk more over lunch?" He felt kind of bad about interrupting what had seemed like a a beggar's style of performance, not that Ulrich looks like he was having much trouble keeping fed.

"Sorry for the questions, I've never met anyone like myself before. It is good to meet you as well."
"Maybe it wasn't right of me to ask such questions right off. I am simply excited is all."

Ulrich couldn't help but chortle again waving his palm to dismiss Samael's repetitive apologies. "Na' worries~ y'Know? Didn't know you ain't from the swamp, Ksh.. Guess it would be awkward to run int'a something you didn't think existed." Talons raking against his neck again with a quiet laugh, seeming to be rather accepting to Samael's sudden interests and queries. "Nice t'Meet'cha, Samael."

"Maybe we could talk more over lunch?"

Lips pulled in another fangy grin as he watched the sleeker scale slip out the wrapped food, almost not seeing how rude it was when he just held his palm out expectantly for such. "Wouldn't mind a'tAll. Heh-hegh~ Wha'chu got in there, eh?" Ulrich asked, nostrils flaring as he tested the air for any familiar scents. Apparently the word 'Lunch' making forget the fact he was supposed to be answering some questions first.

Samael looked over at the open hand and made a awkward expression. "Eh.. here. just take it.. I can get more." He handed Ulrich the satchel. Not like the Hotel would run out after all. "Maybe when you're done you can answer my questions?" He said with a smirk, since it didn't look like Ulrich had the attention span for anything much when there was food.

Sam leaned back against the wall of the shop, keeping a sandwich for himself to eat. At least this person he had just met wasn't crazy or pissed off all the time about something nor looked at him like a menace, so that was a plus. He guessed he will have to find out more later when Ulrich was done.

"Eh.. here. just take it.. I can get more."

Hearing that almost blew his mind it seemed, uttering an enthusiastic cackle as he pulled the satchel open. Skimming through the wrapped foodstuffs in earnest, like a child rummaging through tissue paper in a Christmas present. He eventually found something he particularly seemed keen on to start with, unwrapping and taking a stiff bite of a simple tuna sandwich. Almost just gurgling out a growl for some reason as he munched the rather plain item.

"Maybe when you're done you can answer my questions?"

Ulrich rumbled a curious growl before just bopping himself in the head with his free palm, slurping the gunk from his teeth before speaking. "Oh! Right, Nahagh.. Asked 'bout myself and whatnot back home, right?" He took a moment to think of what to even say, swamp-life not really being the most interesting of upbringings in his experience. He worked to finish the sandwich before rummaging in the satchel for more, having gone through the entire snack like it was just a little finger sandwich at a party. "Like I said, m'Names Ulrich. Ma' named me that, after an old soloist she looked up to" he rambled on, fishing out the to-go snacks Samael wrapped up from the hotel one after another. Making short work of each as he chatted.

With a heavy gulp of his current mouthful he continued. "You ain't really up in each others business like in a city back home, y'know? You got everyone every which-way here, bumpin' int'a each other. Relyin' on each other. Keh! Hells, you've got folks in cities that - if all they had was themselves - would jes' starve to death, or get eaten by somethin' bigger'n them." Another sandwich vanished as he finished that ramble. "Th'sh's pre'y g'd st'ff!" he mumbled past his mouthful, giving another stiff gulp to force the food down into his stiff paunch.

"We jes' fished our dinners an' sold extra to keep folks from sayin' where we was ain't our property, yeah?" he explained, scrounging through the satchel some more for something besides a sandwich. "Course get t'gethers was always good. Pa' would always fiddle up a storm for folks, n'Sometimes I'd join'm when I got older. Otherwise I'd just tromp 'round with the other kids while the folks got plastered, Hehh.."

Sadly he didn't seem to be drifting into any 'interesting' conversations. Everything he talks about sounding like any other group of hicks in the middle of a swamp. You'd think him uninteresting beyond his appearance. Tossing a handful of cheese cubes from the satchel to his maw.

Sam listened. Even though it wasn't particularly interesting, he was happy to hear that there were indeed others like him and they they didn't live a life of slavery like he did in Bosco. He hadn't really taken but one bite of his sandwich, having been kind of distracted by Ulrich's story and his almost literal inhalation of what he had brought with him. He guesses that Ulrich has either never had to ration his food, which seemed plausible from the look of his frame, or that he just had one heck of an appetite. Maybe both were true.

Sam finished his own sandwich, trying to imagine what it would look like for abunch of people like himself and Ulrich to have a party in a swamp. Having never really even seen a full on swamp or people that live in one, he couldn't say the imagery was too up to par with the enthusiasm that Ulrich had for it. "That is... very different from how I grew up. What about Era? Why travel so far from home? It seems like you liked it there."

He half wondered if there would be anything left in his bag after Ulrich was through with it, but it really wasn't an issue. If it wasn't for the strict rules on guests at the Hotel for tournament contestants, he'd have just invited his new friend with him that way they wouldn't be discussing this in the road. Thinking about that and how Ulrich described how he grew up, Sam does't suppose it bothered Ulrich to be where he is. "I guess the hotel food was better than I thought."

He sighed in relief as he lounged against the shop's front a bit, pausing his aforementioned inhalation of food. Samael's bag in his lap, as his now even tighter gut getting patted by both hands as he relaxed. Ulrich licked his teeth clean for a bit, letting everything settle before working on destroying the bag's contents more. Of course, 'letting everything settle' apparently didn't stop some calmer snacking. Finding a wrap of cookies in the satchel to munch on.

"That is... very different from how I grew up. What about Era? Why travel so far from home? It seems like you liked it there."

Ulrich let out a curious grunt as Sam' proposed his second question. Sucking the cookie crumbs from his teeth before speaking. "Oh! Right, Hehegh.. The Tournament you mentioned, yeah? I heard about it, thought I might run into some mages or some'n. Been told wizards'n stuff make good Jewel doing the most inane of things, yeah? Sure some of it's dangerous, but a lot of the easy stuff even still pays well from what I've been told" he explained, tossing another cookie to chew on before speaking further. "Mnff.. So~" he started, forcing a quick swallow to clear his mouth. "Was hopin' to run into some mage, maybe wiggle myself into one of those Guilds or whatever, eh?"

"I guess the hotel food was better than I thought."

He almost spit out a cackle then, brushing his lips dry with his wrist. "s'Not bad, for sure! It's been jes' a while since I've had a good tuna sandwich. Plus everything else ain't half bad, either! What hotel you stayin' at that's throwin' out this kind stuff?"

"It is not as hard to meet mages as you would think." Sam smirks at Ulrich. "After all, you're looking at one and I'm in the tournament."

Sam leaned his head to the side to see if there was even anything left in the bag that he had given Ulrich. "I'm staying at the Tournament's host hotel, so I can't actually have guests and stuff. But I did manage to sneak some of their food out." Sam gestured to the bag that Ulrich was emptying. "I'm not really expecting to win the tournament, but I wanted to see what the mages of other guilds are capable of before I join one."

He yawns and rubs at his snout with a sigh. "I do kind of hope to win though, It would be pretty cool."

He almost gagged on the last cookie as Samael spilled the beans. Ulrich covered his mouth with a fist for a short while, making sure he didn't blatantly spit out the food he was so graciously gifted by accident from that startle. Rubbing his throat as he listened to the other reptilian go on about the hotel and the tournament.

"Oh, wow.." he uttered in stunned bemusement. He'd come to the city to find another mage, and Bam! First one he finds is even in the tourney he heard about. Though his bubble did seem to pop a bit when he realized Sam' referenced he wasn't in a guild himself, either. "O-oh.. Eh-heh, well. If when you finish the fights, come holl'a if you found a good guild, eh?" he started with a splay of his lips in a grin. "If'n you didn't find none that seemed interestin', I'll throw you any lines I found instead" he offered in a bit of a trade, bobbing his skull some.

Hands returned to rummaging through the satchel of food, the poor thing looking rather empty after eight sandwiches, two bags of assorted snack cheeses, three bags of cookies, and the fresh fruit he was starting to finish off now. Running his thumb claw across the skin of an orange to split it open. "What kin'a magic you work anyhoo? If'n I could ask. You said you ain't from the swamps, so I bet you work somethin' more traditional, right? - Fire, Ice, Wind?" he questioned off, sinking teeth into the orange as he continued to pack away Samael's smuggled goods.

Samael smiled at having someone to join a guild with. He actually was looking forward to learning more about Ulrich. Having a friend in Fiore, a land he was still fairly new to, would really lighten his unease and worries. "I'd like that. I'll be sure to let you know if I join a guild. Maybe then we can work together. I would appreciate having a companion in Fiore, I'm pretty new here myself."

He lounged back against the wall as he was asked about his magic.. "I use bone magic. I never really got the appeal of anything classical." He turns his head to watch Ulrich again, he had planned to make the contents of that bag last a month but it seems that his friend's appetite was a little more demanding.

"I'd like that. I'll be sure to let you know if I join a guild. Maybe then we can work together. I would appreciate having a companion in Fiore, I'm pretty new here myself."

He grinned rather enthusiastically at Samael's words, brushing his lips clean with his wrist again after having finished off a good amount of fruit. Seeming to take a 'break' again, relaxing against the Shop's front with a contented huff. His stiff stomach swollen easily to twice its original size as he trailed a palm across its taut surface. Ulrich slurped the fruit sugars off his teeth as he listened to Sam continue.

"I use bone magic. I never really got the appeal of anything classical."

That had his muzzle scrunch in curiosity, absently taking talons across his bloated middle as it gurgled audibly from his flinching muscles. "Eh? Bone magic sounds awfully creepy, ah.." he started, palm gesturing somewhat defensively. "Eh-heh, No 'ffense. Wha'chu do with it, like.." he questioned, snapping two talons audibly. "Break 'folks bones inside them?"

Samael shakes his head and holds a hand out, creating a fruit peeler out of bone. "Not at all... If I had that kind of power the tournament might not even be challenging. I just have the ability to make stuff out of bone." He sets the fruit peeler on Ulrich's belly in case he wants it. "You sure do eat alot. Even if I could get you into the hotel they'd likely kick you out for demolishing their supplies." He teases.

"It seems like some of the other combatants in the tournament are taking their time in the fights, so I have plenty of time to do other stuff before my next round. Maybe you could accompany me and we can find something to do in the city. Once you're full of course." He honestly couldn't tell if that would ever happen, but there couldn't be too much left right?

He cackled for a short while at the other reptile's magical display and subsequent jesting. He took an awkward breath, flexing the muscles beneath that ball of a stomach. Causing it to pull in before popping back out, knocking the little peeler off his stomach without ever touching it. He'd itch at his girth a bit as Sam finished, other hand rubbing his throat as he'd peer to the rather deflated satchel of food. "Ah, Eh-heh.. I did do a number on this, didn't I? Saved me from having to buy anythin' today though, I s'pose." His hand patting the stiff ball attached to his middle a bit.

Ulrich gave his teeth another slurp, laying palms against the back of his head as he relaxed. "Nngh.. Was really jes' planning to fiddle for today, make sure I had enough jewel to stay cozy durin' my stay in the city for now. If'n you did want to go 'Hang Out' as it seems, we could" he elaborated with a bit of a shrug from his relaxed position. "-but 'less you know something fer sure to do, think it'd be best if I stuck it here for today. If the fights are draggin' like you say, folks're pro'lly wandering the city to waste some time~" he said, finishing on that note as he took in a deep breath and let his eyes close for the moment.

Sam looks down at the road between his legs as Ulrich seems to not want to go anywhere unless he knows for sure where he's going. And really, he doesn't. "Yea.. I guess you're right. There was a park nearby though. Be more comfortable than the streets I'd think." He gets up, looking down at his new friend to see if he wants help getting up, offering a hand to Ulrich. "Cleaner, better sunlight, and fewer people to worry about."

If Ulrich was willing he'd lead to a small, but quiet park nearby that had some rocks at the top of a gently sloping grassy hill. Sam, if not questioned, would lead to the top of the hill and settled onto his back with his head and upper chest in the shade of the rock and the rest of himself to warm in the sun. The soft earth that was maintained by the park masters was much more comfortable than the worked earth of the streets in his opinion.

Taking Samael's hand, he was helped back to his feet. Poor stomach groaning a bit from the effort as he got up. Ulrich snagged the satchel of food, scooped up the jewel in the flap of his own satchel and shouldered both. Eventually then hefting up his duffel bag after making sure everything was securely stashed away. Chortling as he stood stiff bellied in-front of Samael, carrying everything like a pack-mule of sort.

His gut bounced as he strode behind his new companion, taking in the sights of the city as they wandered into the park. Grinning awkwardly as he'd watch the folks present doing their own things in the area. As they made it to the hilltop he took in another deep breath, pivoting about to take in the full sight of the lush, green park. "Eh-hegh.. You're right~" he rumbled out. "This is absolutely fantastic~."

Sadly it wasn't a hustling and bustling city street like he planned to perform for the day in, but the free food packed away in his middle right now surely made up for the lost jewel. After setting the bags down he'd stretch arms into the air with a sneer, just watching the park with hands on the sides of his girth.

Sam yawns and turns his head to look to Ulrich. "Almost wish I could afford to eat like that more often. It's been a few years since I've done anything but get by, you almost forget what it feels like to be content with the world and not concerned about where your next meal will come from." He stretches on the grass, tail thumping and sliding across the lime foliage as he does so.

All this talk about food and seeing Ulrich empty his entire months worth of supplies in half an hour or less kind of makes him want to head back to that hotel while he can, but he doesn't want to simply abandon his new friend. His slightly growling stomach was more on the side of the former for sure. He doesn't know how some of these mages keep their energy up some times. He did't see a single one of the tournament at the in hotel buffet when he was there sneaking away some 'supplies'.

Ulrich rumbled a low laugh as Sam spoke, giving his bloated middle an absent soothing rub as he listened. With a sauntering over he slouched against the shady tree, using both hands to cup the underside of that scaly ball of a belly. "Mnngh.. Understand your point, though rather convenient on my side, hehegh. Even if'n I'm low on funds, I usually get to enjoy this sort'a stuff~" he started, smacking the firm weight a few times, resonating a solid sound. "You's magic makes you some stuff? Mine too~ Hehh.. I can't make anything too solid, but I'm per'ty good at whippin' up some grub."

His lips pulled in a smirk of sort as he heard his new companion's poor stomach, a subtle roll of his palm in a flourish producing a chunky chocolate brownie. Just suddenly, out of nowhere, like some street performer. After he let Samael get sight on it, he tossed the hefty treat his way to catch. "s'Long as you eat it in a quarter hour, s'absolutely delicious~ After that it sort'a turns mushy, but by then you should have it squarely in your gut, eh? Be already mush', Hegh.." He returned to rubbing his overstuffed middle in contentment, watching how Sam' might react to the magicked morsel.

Sam had closed his eyes to try and ignore his stomach for a while befor hearing Ulrich sit closer to him. He turns his head to look at the apparently pleased smile on Ulrich's face and the apparent satisfaction his donation to his friend's survival gave him. He smirks as Ulrich mentions that he can cook. "Really? I never would have expected someone like you to have to learn to feed himself." He chuckles with light sarcasm.

His mouth was slightly agape in observation as Ulrich created a thick chocolaty brownie and tossed it at Sam. Sam looked the bownie over as though with suspicion before glancing back at Ulrish.. He had no reason to doubt him.. and it did look good. He took a sniff of the brownie before stuffing the whole thing in his mouth with an almost cute 'churr' at the moistness of the brownie before swallowing. "That.. is pretty amazing.." He sighed, almost wishing he could just create food out of mid air some days.

Another rumbled laugh slipped past his lips, lowering himself down to a seat finally against the tree. Giving his knuckles a rattled pop. "Can make more for you, if'n you like; Or hells, Anything else edible~". He spent the next short while fidgeting and stretching, trying to get himself comfortable propped up against that tree. All the while his bloated middle wobbles away. Eventually he seemed comfy, taking a nice deep breath to relax.

"Learned th' magic back in the day with my ma'" he started with a blissful sigh. "Revolves around usin' what we call Slime, 'nothin' harmful though" he reassured with a cheeky wink and a grin on his chubby cheeks. "Thinkin' bout it, 'sorta like wha'chu were sayin' with yer Bone Magic? Is somethin' Organic, like bread dough. 'Bout the same thing actually, for yer body. I can mold it in almost any which way, make it look'n taste like fish, brownies, meat - Hell, even stuff like Wood or Metal, but t'ain't as strong a'course." Ulrich's hands continued to gingerly grasp at the underside of his girth, almost unable subconsciously to refrain from exploiting its presence.

"Helps thin out rations per'ty good" he growled in delight as his explanation drifted into memories briefly, hands again unable to resist subconscious commands - Stroking his ballooned middle. "So'z just relyin' on this kind'a food for long sadly makes you sick wit' scurvy or other stuff. y'Know?" he half elaborated, half questioned over to Sam'. "Jes' gott'a make sure you're eatin' light, healthy snacks between whatever you go an' make." With a cheeky smirk he finished off then. "Well, since I couldn't interest you in any music, how 'bout I whip you up something good to eat? Fairs fair, right?" he started, giving his weight another stiff, solid pat. "n'I know I heard yer gut growlin', so don't go and chicken out on me, A'ight?"