Though he wasn't aware of the fact it seemed that the guild wanted him to be prepared for the worst, even if the intent was for him to avoid any type of fighting. As such Lorelle wasn't too surprised by Ethan's confession, a fact the boy noted himself. Realizing they had already considered the problem made him feel even worse and he blushed from embarrassment.
"Yes, well, it's to be expected considering the situation."
"The situation?"
"Why yes, you've only just become an adventurer, and on top of that haven't taken any jobs that would require such equipment."
Her reasoning was rather sound and he felt a little better after considering her words. Though his situation hadn't changed so he wasn't sure how to fix his problem.
"But.."
Before he could continue she interrupted him with a smile and the raising of a hand.
"Mr. Bimsley is waiting for you at his workshop. He will have a selection of equipment for you to choose from. Make sure you are back in time for the meeting."
Ethan's eyes went wide as she gave the instructions and within the span of a few seconds he had started toward the door, then returned to the table to pick up his tray, only to put it back down, and then head toward the door once again. He was about to repeat the same actions over again before he was stopped by a "shoo shoo" from the giggling Lorelle. Excusing himself with a contorted bow he took off and was out the door in a few blinks of the eye. A few minutes later he could see the shop's front door as he slowed to a brisk walk down the side street. His breathing, only slightly labored, pushed his chest up and down as he reached for the handle. Before he could clasp the latch though it was yanked open and a little terror by the name of Lilianna, or Lilly for short, stood there with an obvious expression of annoyance.
"You're late shorty! Get in here, we don't have all day!"
He was about to protest her rater rude greeting, as well as the fact he was some how late to a meeting he just learned about, but before he could get a word out she grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him inside.
"Woah!"
The door closed behind them as she continued to drag him toward the back of the workshop. She was much stronger than she looked, a fact he learned as he attempted to slow their forward march, only to have it ignored by her little body and vice like grip. Before he could disagree verbally they came to a stop in front of several mannequins covered in various pieces of different armor types, a rack of weapons, and a long table covered in different shields.
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"Less talking and more looking shorty!"
"Would you stop... Ouch!"
"Less talking!"
She had poked him, hard, in the side with an armored finger, in the middle of his sentence and then interrupted him! He was about to try again but immediately shut up when she eyed him and raised an extended finger in warning... or as a treat. Backing up a step he held up his hands in defeat.
"Okay, okay."
Turning back to the assorted equipment laid out before him he glanced over them before finally looking at her with raised eyebrows.
"Umm, so what is the situation here?"
"....."
He figured he was about to get poked again and instinctively clenched his stomach muscles but before she could attack him Mr. Bimsley appeared and rescued him. Well, sort of anyway.
"Hello there Ethan. I see Lilly has already started helping you."
Ethan was about to retort with a questioning of his definition of helping but it seemed the girl could read minds because a quick glare was sent his way which promptly changed his mind. Clearing his throat he offered a weary laugh and a halfhearted smile.
"Ye... Yea, she did."
"I was just getting to the explanation about the selection daddy."
The smile and tone of voice Lilly offered her dad was so sweet it instantly made Ethan's teeth hurt, more so because he felt she was like a trick candy, in that it was sweet on the outside but then turned into a mass of lip pursing and tongue twisting sourness.
"I see, well let's finish this up quickly so Ethan can make it back in time."
Mr. Bimsley patted his daughter lightly on her half armored head as he walked out from behind her. Making his way over to the assorted equipment he began speaking to Ethan.
"Pick what you would like to carry with you tonight. I recommend at least some kind of armor, a shield, and some kind of weapon. We have leather pieces up to scale mail for the armor, various one handed weapons, as well as some two handed ones, and various shield sizes, types, and builds."
Ethan moved thoughtfully down the selection, stopping at a few different pieces to either lightly touch their surfaces or pick them up for a closer look. To Bimsely's surprise he all but skipped the weapons wrack though he did select one of the daggers present. After a few more moments Ethan had selected one of the armor pieces that would cover most of his back and then two shields made of wood and then enforced by metal.
"Are you sure that's what you want?"
Mr. Bimsley seemed uncertain but as a smithy he tried hard not to criticize, let alone question, people's fighting style or equipment decisions. Ethan gave an affirmative nod as he adjusted the armor piece a bit. He then tied a leather trip to the grips of both shields and draped it over a shoulder so a shield was resting against his back and the other was resting against his chest.
"Well then, off with you and good luck! Be sure to stop by when the mission is over!"
Ethan hadn't even been able to offer thanks before he was being quickly ushered back out the door. He simply turned with a smile and wave before taking off back to the guild, his young arms holding the shields down as best they could as he ran.