Phoenix Arms:

The story of Lock Ostrie.

Part: 4

Spinning the yarn.

I smiled as Miss Dyne scooted into the both seat across from me, "So, Miss Dyne, are you here for the festival of blades?"

The young lady looked up at me and smiled as she gently shook her head, "No need to be formal, just call me Dyne. As for the tourney, no, I didn't know there was one, but, I'll join up."

"Okay, I'll sign you up then tomorrow. The tournament isn't for a week so you got plenty of time to rest up and practice. Anyways, can I ask you a stupid question?"

"Sure, go ahead." She had a look like I knew what I was going to ask her.

"Is Dyne your first name?"

She let out a sigh, "Yep. I bet you want to know how I got it?"

I raised my eyebrow at her "Well, a name like that for a woman is odd."

She had a face of mock anger "Hey, don't call me a woman, makes me feel old."

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad. You're probably 23, maybe 24. The same as me."

She rolled her eyes in defeat, "You got me, 23."

I chuckled a bit, "I just turned 24 a few weeks ago." I looked at her eyes for while and I thought I noticed something odd about them but I wasn't quite sure what it was.

I was about to comment on them until Eric came around, "Hey miss, do you want anything to eat?" Eric stole the words out of my mouth.

Dyne looked around to find the menu quickly, after finding it she opened it up quickly and found what she wanted, "I'll just have a BLT sandwich."

Eric walked away to give Dyne's order to Jean, as he turned away, Dyne spoke to me, "So Lock, tell me, what do you do for a living?"

"Me? I'm half Merc, Half Engineer. I use my metalworking skills to build my inventions. What about you?"

She licked her lips, "I'm an adventurer. I just kinda find odd jobs to get by if I need to, but I find plenty of cash from the people who try to ambush me on the trails. Of course, I've been using the trains to cover major distances, and buses occasionally. But I like nature so I also hike when I can."

"Ah, that explains why your sword is broken."

"Yep, it just broke a few days ago."

"So, how did you get my grandfather's name?"

She seemed to hesitate for a second, "I got it off of some guy in the town next door. He was a local savant who knew the best places around here, and when I talked to him about a repair job, he referred me to you."

I was slightly shocked, I really didn't know there were people who knew all of the best places around and referred travelers to places, "Okay. Well, it's good to know that people still regard my grandfather's business as the best. I just hope I can live up to those expectations."

However, I thought in private, (What the? Shouldn't people have heard by now he's dead? Odd, but not completely unusual.)

Dyne smiled, "I'm quite sure that you will continue on your grandfather's legacy."

"Easier said than done."

Dyne looked at the stained glass window, "Wow, stained glass. Don't see that much of it nowadays. It's so… lovely."

I looked at the window, remembering all the intricate features of it and then I shifted my view other to Dyne, "It is."

"I love how it always make the colors bright and alive. It just bathes things in color."

I was now focused on how the light gave Dyne's face green and brown colors, "It sure does.

She turned towards me and gave a faint smile, I gave a faint smile in return, "Yep, I've never seen anything more beautiful than it in my life Lock. This one is a particularly good piece of art."

Eric soon arrived with our food, the soup and grilled cheese for me and a BLT for Dyne, "Enjoy your food guys."

We both muttered our thanks and slowly ate our food. We took our time eating as we were in no rush to get anywhere.

While we ate Dyne and I met eyes on more than one occasion, looking at her, I saw that she had Heterochromia, her right eye was a brilliant emerald green while her left was steel gray in color. "Never seen a person with two different eye colors before have you?"

"No, I've heard about it, but I never seen it before in real life."

I look down at my food, all that remained were dirty dishes and napkins, "So, are you finished yet?"

"Yep, I'm done." Dyne said as she shifted in her seat.

Good old Eric soon came, mints and bill in hand, "Ah, you're both done. Here's your bill."

"Thanks" I said as I took it and went over it, Dyne turned to get a better look at the bill.

"I'll help pay for it Lock." Dyne said.

"No, it's all right, I'll pay for it."

"Come on, let me at least help."

"All right, 50/50?

"50/50 it is then."

The two of us paid the bill and the tip. Afterwards we got up and made sure we had all of our stuff, "So Lock, where is the nearest hotel? I'd like to drop off all this stuff before we head over to your place."

I pointed up, "The hotel is right above us. Daniel runs both this restaurant and the hotel upstairs. We should go ask if he has any rooms available to rent out."

The two of us walked over to Dan as he stood over by the counter, "Hey guys, enjoy your food?"

Dyne nodded her head. "Yep. I haven't had anything good to eat for a while. I'd love to comeback. So Dan, do you have any rooms available?"

Dan shook his head, "Sorry Miss Dyne, all the rooms are reserved for the tournament coming up in about a week or so."

I nodded in understanding, "It's nine days till the tournament, but I'm surprised it already filled up." I tilted my head to the side, " Got some more people in this year?"

Dan nodded, "Actually, it's not well known, but some Maverick Hunters decided to come over to recruit and show off."

I rolled my eyes, "Ahh, they've been going around and trying to get members and PR kinda stuff."

Dyne looked down, "Are their any other places to stay here?"

Dan shook his head, "Sorry, there are other no hotels in this town. You'll have to find someone to room with." He looked at me with a grin.

I rolled my eyes, "Well you could stay over at my house Dyne." I knew this was awkward, but I just couldn't let her sleep on the streets. That would go against my ethics.

Dyne turned to me with a smile, "Well Lock, I wouldn't mind staying over with you. It would get boring being all alone in a hotel." She slowly and gently touched my hand, "Besides, your fun to talk to."