[attr="class","evantalk"]

It wasn't the first time he had come across the shrine, years ago it had been on accident but today it was deliberate. He knew of a handful of places like this across the regions, places that were home to things he did not follow and had no place in coveting. In some cases he had even sought out such places to pay homage to the deities thought to be within, because even if he was no follower of theirs he respected what they gave the people and the land.

Today was one of those days.

Evan brought this deity of the woods something he thought they might not see often if they dwelled in shrines within these woods alone. Though they had been specially grown the Alolan flowers were unique in their look and beauty. A local florist having helped him decide on the small bundle he intended to leave by one of the Hoenn shrines during his excursion into the woods.

What he did not expect was to find another person there first, and repairing the shrine no less. He really should have expected to interrupt someone's actual worship at something like a shrine but somehow it had never donned on him that it could actually happen. "Oh." he announces himself as he approaches, eyes settling first on the green haired girl at work before moving to the shrine. Black and red eyes blink, almost uncertain of what he sees there.

"Hello, there." eyes shift back to her. "I didn't expect to find anyone here." he speaks as though she doesn't have more a right too be here than him.

cait alfric

[attr="class","evantalk"]

It seemed she didn't expect company today either. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." He didn't blame her, you either found places like this because you were lost or because you were looking for them.

"No, I'm not." his smile is solemn, his tone carries a hint of apology as if he wished he were. "Just a respectful traveler with an offering to the dweller of this shrine." he lifts the flowers in hand, indicating they were meant to be placed by the shrine as he passed by. His eyes return to the work she's been doing, it seems like a noteworthy improvement. "Bet that's a better offering though, most shrine's don't seem to have keepers anymore."

"I assume you are though, a follower that is." he moves to step towards the shrine, looking over her work because he's curious to know what shape the shrines are meant to be kept in. It's not the first time he's found someone tending to one before but each one is different, each has their ways they are meant to be kept and he finds it to be a fascinating thing.

cait alfric

[attr="class","evantalk"]

It takes him a moment, as if he has to think about it, but he turns from her work on the shrine back to her with a smile. "Evan Fader." he holds out his free hand for her to shake if she chooses.

"I have to agree, they're from Alola." he holds them out closer to her for her to inspect. "Thought something a little unusual might be a nice treat. Especially Alola, the foliage there is something else entirely." his smile is genuine. He let's a beat pass before finally asking the question that's been nagging him.

"While I have a follower here, I've had my suspension about who dwells in this shrine. Mind if I ask who it's for anyway?" black and red eyes watch her face, intense in their curiosity. He's spoken with plenty of locals over the years and seen many a shrine in Hoenn but he always prefers hearing it first hand over relying on on what he's determined for himself.

cait alfric

[attr="class","evantalk"]

The chuckle is soft, he appreciates her efforts to instruct him. It reassures him he's not doing so bad with this one at least. In the times he's visited before that is. "I think I'll take you up on that offer, I'm curious how this one will turn out when you're done anyway." he smiles before approaching the shrine.

As he steps closer his eyes settle on the green pokemon sitting on the roof. He's familiar with the region's pokemon- with the pokemon of most regions from first hand experience and the tales that swirl around them. Few have escaped him after almost 20 years of travel and befriending natives and delving into the culture wherever they allow. Evan touches a finger to his lip in thought at this one, but chooses not to say anything. He gives the pokemon a friendly grin, waving before placing the flowers upon the shrine.

He doesn't turn to her just yet, dropping gently to his knees, balancing on his toes. He bows his head in a would be prayer though he hesitates to call it that. These ones are from Alola, I thought you might enjoy the change of pace. May they serve you well old friend though I doubt as well as the work your follower is putting into your shrine.

Evan stands, dusting off his knees as he steps back from the shrine. With a bow and flourish of his out stretched hand, as if he were presenting the shrine to her again he states "All yours my dear."

cait alfric

[attr="class","evantalk"]

"Delighted to give them." he's half distracted, watching as the small creature raises the flowers up to its level. It wasn't a site someone got to see often, most would never be certain they'd seen such things for real even if they did. Evan put a little distance between himself and the shrine, giving her plenty of room to work while he watched.

Eyes pried away from the green god and back to her as she asked him a question. "You're welcome to call me Evan, Mr. Fader makes me feel much older than I am."he slipped into a crouch, a habitual and comfortable position when talking or watching something. "You could say that I am though. At least for now."

"I'm not native to this region, but I am currently taking residency in rustboro." he assumed she had passed by the tavern or some other such place while he was there. A year is a long time to see faces and forget them. "It is a pretty impressive place though. Seems to always be bustling with something."

He chooses not to elaborate, instead returning the question in kind. "And you? I don't think I've seen your face too much around Rustboro." now that he thinks about it she seems a little familiar. A name and face he's seen a time or two but can't quite place. They've never stuck as well as they should.

cait alfric

[attr="class","evantalk"]

"I thought I recognized you a bit." he comments, grin playful as it starts to don on him. He's never been very good with keeping up with things- well not things like gym leaders and the like. They've never been something he was really interested in and often fell to the wayside in his mind. His attention was always on other kinds of things in the cities anyway.

He listens to her explanation and it makes sense. He can't imagine what she does allows liberties like roaming around to other places. Especially during a regional emergency like the recent tiff with rocket. Evan can barely wrap his head around the job to begin with- just being an owner of an establishment has nearly made him pull out his hair over the restriction it places on him as it is. It goes on the list of things that Evan has no intention of trying before he dies.

"Hmm." he muses to himself. "I've taken over the Stray." he says plainly, adding on further in the event she's not too familiar with the place which he assumes is entirely possible. She seems young enough to not be. "It's a tavern, been around since the beginning of Rustboro give or take a year or two. Though nowadays no one really comes around for the tavern part, it's more like a bar." Kind of, it's hard to say what the Stray is, especially since the change of hands has led to a lot of sprucing up and the longer Evan stays the more it seems like the old spirit of the place returns.

"It's got a lot of history for the area, enough so they were going to label it a historic building if I didn't take it over. I'm owner and barkeep, at least when the paper work allows me to be." which is actually more often than not because he puts it off too long but no one needs to actually hear that out loud.

cait alfric

[attr="class","evantalk"]

Evan catches her eyes and chuckles, he's used to the attention both good at bad. Many find themselves enthralled with his image for one reason or another and whatever she's thinking likely comes as no surprise.

"None of the above." he chooses the hidden extra answer, because she's not quite hit the mark with any of her guesses at all.

"The Stray has a unique story, to paraphrase, it earned its name because the original owner of the tavern was known for taking in the orphans and hoodlums off the streets or giving shelter to wandering vagrants. Often times he let them work off their room and board by helping him around the tavern. He took in the Strays you could say." He explained, his posture seemed to shift a little, back straightening as he told the story because important tales deserved the extra effort, he extra respect. "Of course that stopped being such a thing as we moved into the current era, but every once in awhile someone like me finds the places and there's another Stray off the street for a night or two."

Evan grins, fondness settling on his features. Many nights had been spent in those walls caring for the old building in exchange for a room and a shower. "That's how it wound up in my hands."Evan bites the left side of his lip a little, debating how to say the rest without giving anything away.

"You could say I'm in the business of keeping old stories alive, seemed a shame to let that one die." he half shrugs, as if it's a satisfactory answer but he could do better. But better means telling a little too much.

"If you like clubs you may enjoy a visit with us, not quite club like but we have a stage I try to keep booked with performers nonetheless." Evan could try to explain the unique atmosphere of the place but he feared he might not do it justice if he tried.

cait alfric