[Balshu's Bait and Tackle] Hook Line and Sinker [Solo]

[Seluj]

Day 17, Summer 512 AV...
Mid Afternoon.

The 'party' from the night before was something of a turning point in his mind. He had spent much of the day, slumped around and marching through the streets of Zeltiva in the hot sun like a zombie. Oddly enough he had a head ache as if he were somehow had a hang over from drinking the night before. That would make complete sense if only he had actually drank at all. Then again there was a bar fight that evening. With the exception of a couple of bruises and scratches he had walked away more or less unscathed. He didn't necessarily remember getting smashed over the head with a bottle, so why did he feel like it. Seluj even bothered to reach behind his head and rub along his scalp to make sure he wasn't actually hurt.

Something about a lack of sleep and salt water made a person feel groggy. But who knew what 'dehydration' was these days, right?

In any case, at some time during the morning he had time to reflect on his own personal life. While years of bumming in hotel lobbies and in corners of taverns or in single boats, and eating whatever he could come across, whether it be edible or not, he thought that perhaps it were time to improve the quality of his life. Granted anyone could live this way for as long as they could scrape up a few gold a day, and most people found work at the docks or at the University, working for the upper class individuals. But what was really the difference between a lower class individual and one of those academics? He had seen one the other day, on the beach.

There wasn't much appealing about her exactly, she was narrow minded, and hot tempered and frankly kind of violent, but even though their encounter wasn't exactly positive, it got him thinking. Why couldn't he be an academic. He had always mocked and poked fun at people that had their nose in a book, but what could they do that he couldn't?

Baby steps... he wasn't about to just march up to the University and snatch up a book and go to town. No, first things first.

Breakfast.

He was going to buy everything that he would need to be an adequate fishermen, and after some practice, maybe he could get another job on the docks... then he could have enough money, and get his own food! Then he could possibly afford to be an academic like them. He hopefully had many years ahead of him, he didn't want to spend it all here in Zeltiva!

Walking into Balshu's Bait and Tackle, he looked about almost bewildered, not sure exactly where to start!

[Seluj]

The place was elaborate in design in that each rack was open for view and any number of designs, from hand carved poles to different manner of wire and string, to an entire buffet of different types of bait. He looked around in the store, and he couldn't help but notice that no matter where he was in the store he was most likely visible. Stealing in here wouldn't be easy, not that he would consider stealing, but it was always a thought that crossed his mind. If he knew he could get away with it he would try, but not this time! No, he was turning over a new leaf, one of productivity and integrity! It wouldn't be easy when people dangled everything you would ever need to survive over your head and teased you with the temptation of having just one bite or just one more coin... though he supposed that was something of a fishing metaphor as well.

His thoughts of fishing metaphor only led him on a mental tangent of daydreaming, considering how something like fishing could be some grand metaphor for life in general. What was it about being able to sit around and spend hours doing nothing only to be rewarded that appealed to him personally? He was good at patience if he knew it was with purpose, but he supposed that the over all the lesson was simple. All good things came with time! While his Miza count was limited, time was something, in his infinity of youth, that he would consider himself always having! Who needed real immortality when the illusion of being indestructible was just as useful!

He snapped out of his thinkings however. He had apparently been staring at a pile of bait longingly as his heads were in the clouds. If anyone had seen him standing their like a zombie in thought they might have thought him a weirdo... but what else is new.

He looked about, taking his time, though keeping moving. He wanted to look like he knew what he was doing without seeming suspicious. He could read but was admittedly a slow reader compared to most academics and thus would do his best to observe and compare the separate display options. There were a great amount of vocabulary that he didn't understand and comparing one 'brand' to another was more or less confusing. He was always careful when spending his money because after all, it wasn't exactly easy to come by, so if he did buy something, he would want it quality, and he would want it to last him for some amount of time. But even still, he was too ignorant to the art of fishing to make an educated purchase. If only there were someone to assist him...

[Seluj]

After what seemed like forever, he had finally decided on a few items that he assumed he could put to use! This would more or less be a fishing pole, which was actually pretty nice, as it was wooden with alittle metal here and there. He wasn't completely sure what to make of it, but it at least looked cool, and it was painted a color her liked so it would have to do. There was also a fishing net as well, which he had heard could come in handy. He had the previous day invented in his mind a fish trap that would include the use of such a net, and so he would buy it as well for as long as he was splurging. Collectively they would only set him back by what, 5 gm?! That's it!? How fortunate for him! But when he saw the price of the last object on his mind, a fishing kit, which including things like lures tackle, bait and twine, he almost bit his tongue. It cost twice the amount of the net and the pole combined! That would set him back 15 gold pieces right there.

He sighed, taking the kit and observing it. Was it really worth the ten gold he was considering paying for it? That was one thing that set Seluj apart from youth his age is that he was legitimately a penny pincher, and this was most likely the result of having to find for himself the past eight years of his life. He could afford to live a life of poverty, but on the same token wasn't necessarily unhappy, and did this by very responsibly budgeting his money one way or another. But he had said it once and would say it again. You have to spend money to make money. Dancing by night had always picked up tabs but maybe if he was lucky and successful with his fishing then he could sell some of his catch!

But first he would have to figure out how to USE all of this...

He would walk to the counter, setting the objects down, and then the money next to it. He was nearly having a panic attack at the idea of spending some of his hard earned money. He hardly even looked at the person that was sitting at the counter, otherwise silently watching him the entire time as he rustled about the store trying to find just the right product. Now he would try to make conversation, politely asking Seluj how his day was. Seluj on the other hand, clenching his jaw, wouldn't be able to speak and would only nod, keeping his head down until the transaction was complete. It was like sitting at a scary movie and hiding your eyes when you thought something scary would pop out. But nothing disastrous happened, With the exception perhaps that his wallet would be a touch lighter. He walked out of the shop and released a sigh as though he had been holding his breathe the entire time.

The proud owner of fishing material! Now to put his investment to good use...