[SpringsSong]

(Also known as, "Spring fails at titles and literally took five minutes to decide on that.")


Vincent Concerto White - 1101dd

It was one of the first times that Vincent had ventured out into this strange world called "Evelon" without Viola and Tessa at his side.  In the days when they were in the realm of Cer'skelo, he had often ventured out on his own--usually returning to his A'morian estate with a woman at his side, completely wooed by his charms.

However, Evelon was quite different--different enough that he often got odd stares for his mechanical hand and his eye patch, both of which were earned in unfortunate accidents in Cer'skelo.  Viola also got some odd looks for her mechanical arm, but Tessa was the worst of all--she was almost half-mechanical, having an artificial heart implanted and a whole rig dedicated specifically to the heart.

So, Vincent had wandered out of their new home and had taken to the streets of this town.  Why he had ended up in Nabias was beyond him, but it reminded him so of the streets of A'moria and Lye'ril.  The little shops were a welcome sight to his eye, contrasting greatly to what he had seen when they had ventured into the city of Medicai.

Well, this place looks like an excellent place to stop in for a quick snack, Vincent thought to himself, walking into the little cafe that he had just happened upon.

[Flame]

It was a lovely day out today; the sun was out, the temperature warm yet mild, and a gentle breeze washed across the town of Nabias. It was the perfect kind of day to be outside, and no one could have asked for better weather conditions under which to wander the quaint little streets. Small crowds of people milled about the stores lining the cobblestone roadway, curious eyes peering in through the colorful myriad of windows displaying wares of innumerable variety. Outside of one particular shop sat a small cluster of tables and stools, all shaded under the protection of a cheerful red awning. Many of the seats were occupied, and a steady trickle of people continuously flowed into the store, whose little glass door was left propped open to welcome both the warm weather and new customers in.

For Cadenza, it was another normal day at work in her little café. Business was doing well today, so she was often on her toes, taking care of customers while flitting between the various other tasks which owning a restaurant/café entailed. Taking orders, keeping the store spick and span, handling the finances, and of course, preparing all the food – she did it all. After all, her store had started off as a tiny little niche, but she’d found out just how surprisingly quickly a successful business could blossom in a town like this. Of late, she’d considered the option of hiring some help, perhaps to wait tables or bus them, but she hadn’t found herself desperately pressed enough to actually carry through with it. True, there were days when she was extremely busy, but she enjoyed the work and the feeling of being productive.

Today was just like any other day – perhaps a bit busier – if it were not for one thing. Today also happened to be her birthday. Of course, she didn’t really make much of it, nor did she have many expectations, considering her somewhat limited social life. That was to be expected when one was as shy as she. But it didn’t bother her; she had never really seen what the big fuss about birthdays was. After all, she didn’t particularly care for the idea of keeping track of the fact that she wasn’t getting any younger. True, she was only in her twenties, but it was still a sobering fact nevertheless. The only indication that today was different at all was the little birthday card her parents had sent her for the occasion, which now sat propped up on the counter near the register. Seeing her customers happy was all she needed, and she drew from the cheer which they brought to her little café.

During a small lull in the rush, she popped back into the storeroom to do some inventory and haul some fresh stock in. After all, her goods were flying off the shelves, and the stoves and oven in the kitchen baked and boiled and simmered happily away without pause. She was just bringing in a stack of particularly heavy boxes when she noticed that a new customer had entered. With a small huff of effort, she plopped her goods down on the counter along the back wall, sweeping a few long strands of loose, chocolate brown hair out of her face as she brushed her hands briefly against her apron. Like with every customer, regardless of whether they were new to her shop or a regular returnee, her heart fluttered just a little in her throat at the prospect of holding a conversation, however brief. However, like always, she quashed the feeling down, managing a warm, friendly smile as she looked up at the man who had just entered. “I’m terribly sorry if I kept you waiting. How can I help you today?”

[SpringsSong]

Vincent had been looking in the display cases at the available pastries when the sound of the woman's voice reached his ears.  He looked up, and upon seeing Cadenza, he offered a smile as he took off his top hat and offered a small bow.

"Oh, there is no need to be sorry, Miss," he said.  "I was just perusing the selection of goods available."

To others, his manner of speech was foreign--almost bordering on ridiculous to some--but it was the only manner of speech which he knew.  It was almost something of a code to Vincent and his two cousins--given that they were the only ones who knew half of the things they even talked about.

After a moment, he realized that the woman had asked him how she could help him.  Offering another smile as he rubbed the back of his head, he said, "Well, what would you recommend?  I'm a little new to this world, and all the names that I knew for certain baked goods seem to be lost in translation," he said.  He had been quite flustered when he had ordered a plate of biscuits at another bakery, he had been given these curious rolls as opposed to a plate of cookies, like he had been expecting.

[Flame]

Nabias was a large city, and had a tendency to see quite a bit of traffic, both local and of a more varied taste. In her time here, Cadenza had seen more interesting characters than she could remember – it was one of the charms of being a resident, not to mention a business owner, in this area. For that reason, she wasn’t too taken aback by Vincent’s unusual appearance, at least, not any more than usual, a fact that could simply be accounted for by her somewhat timorous nature when faced with any person, normal or not. However, his mannerisms did catch her off guard, and as he bowed to her, sweeping the top hat neatly off his head, a light flush of surprise rose in her cheeks, her gaze flicking away self-consciously for just a moment. To her credit, she somehow managed to recover herself in record time as the business side of her brain kicked back into action. After all, she wasn’t one to leave a customer hanging.

“Well, we have a wide selection of goods, so I’m certain beyond a doubt that we can find you the perfect match.” She smiled at him, seeming to have once again regained her confidence. The subject had finally turned to the one thing that was not only her expertise, but her passion, and Vincent was about to discover that he’d found a topic that transcended her anxiety around people. It was a topic of conversation that she could go on and on for hours about, but she’d also learned how to curb her enthusiasm, as most people weren’t as keen on the process and details as they were on enjoying their pastries. “Let’s begin by figuring out what you’re looking for. Are you interested in a snack, meal, or perhaps simply a refreshment? Perhaps something to cater to your sweet tooth?”

(I'm so terribly sorry about the super-late reply. School and work have been weighing me down, but fear not, I haven't forgotten about these two! I have this page pulled up in a tab just for that reason. :3 Hopefully my replies will be more regular from here on out.)

[SpringsSong]

(I apologize for the lateness of my own reply. OTL I've been so busy with the new Pokémon game and life etc and preparing for NaNo that my muse is near sapped.)

Vincent had not been blind to the fact that Cadenza had blushed slightly, but he passed it off.  After all, he'd gotten that reaction a lot from the women that he had greeted in such a fashion--it was nothing new to him.  As she spoke, Vincent could tell--much like inventions and the topic of inventing and innovating for him, the topic of her interest and passion was cooking.

"I think a snack will hit the spot perfectly," Vincent said.  "I do like sweets, but… nothing too terribly sweet, yeah?  Something with just enough sweetness, but a few bitter notes to tone it down."

[Flame]

Whether Vincent hadn't seen her mild state of fluster or if he was simply being a gentleman and feigning ignorance, Cadenza couldn't be entirely sure. All she knew was that she was exceedingly glad he hadn't brought it up, for that would have cost her another awkward conversation, and one that she was more uncomfortable than usual about having. Breathing a silent sigh of relief for the close encounter with social disaster (the last thing she wanted to do was to inadvertently cause a scene in front of all the rest of her customers), she set all of her efforts to getting the gentleman at hand exactly what he'd come here for. For her, every happy stomach and satisfied visitor to leave her cafe marked yet another victory in her book. After all, why should food have to be ordinary when you could just as easily enjoy the extraordinary?

"I think I may have just the thing for you," she chirped cheerfully as soon as the description had left his mouth. Indeed, she had more than just a thing or two in mind that she thought he might enjoy. Flitting over to the wide display case, she proceeded to point out options that fit his request. "Today, I have eclairs filled with coffee creme, but if you're looking for something a little heartier, I also have tiramisu and dark chocolate lava cakes, ready to be popped into the oven at your request. However, if you're looking for something light, perhaps some homemade biscotti with a cup of freshly-brewed French roast coffee." She seemed to dance up and down the counter, her voice filled with a contained joy that couldn't keep from lighting up her face. "All made from scratch, with love, of course...I would mention more, but I'm afraid I might overwhelm you," she added with a shy smile, falling silent once again as she discovered that her thoughts had run away with her and that she'd probably given the poor gentleman good reason to believe that she was just a little off her rocker when it came to baked goods.

(No worries! I definitely know how that feels, and I've heard so much buzz and excitement about the new Pokemon game. :3 Not to mention the sheer amount of work that has to go into NaNo...I never entered because it always intimidated me. XD)

[SpringsSong]

Almost as soon as the mention of lava cakes had reached Vincent's ears, his back straightened considerably.  Chocolate was something that he enjoyed, to be sure.  After she had finished speaking, he offered a smile as he said, "I think I'll have one of those dark chocolate lava cakes you mentioned before--and if I could have some milk with that, it would be much appreciated."

He'd noticed the shy smile on her face after she'd said that she was afraid she might overwhelm him.  "Oh, don't worry yourself about it, Miss," he said.  "I can tell that you are truly passionate about your craft.  I admire that in... anyone, to be completely honest." He couldn't help but shoot a quick glance to his cane, which was one of his prized inventions.  It was far more than just a cane, but he'd not needed it for its secondary purpose aside from when he would go skeet shooting with Viola.

"Ah, but my manners have escaped me, Miss.  My name's Vincent Concerto White--but just Vincent will do," he said.  "And what is your name?" he asked in return.

(And now I'm the one who's almost forgotten about these two. OTL I'll try my best to keep up the replies, if you'd like to keep this one going, too. ^^;)