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[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena is spending a lot of her time looking up and around more than the direction she's currently walking towards. She's grown up in the countryside, so a city like Oxford seems even more incredible in person than it did from anything she's ever read or dreamed.]

[Though Elena's not certain it's a nice as she's always imagined it would be. Buildings seem crammed together and it seems dirtier here than it did back home.]

[But no matter. Elena left home to start a life here. Or, at the very least, start to see the world beyond the farm she grew up on. That means finding work first. Most of the time, she's doing just that and moving from establishment to establishment to find herself a job if she isn't knocking on the door of a well-to-do family to see if they could use an extra hand in the kitchen or some help with folding their linens. She's not too picky about the work as she's not afraid of dirt and grime or a long day's work.]

[She'll just be glad for some employment.]

[When she's not on the job hunt, Elena spends her time exploring and generally looking very much like she doesn't belong in a city like this. Duke walks along beside her though sometimes she carries him through heavier flows of traffic. For the most part, he gawks at everything as much as she does.]

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[myresponsibility]

[Peter is running an errand for the cook, and is heading back to the college with an armful of things from the market when he spots Elena. Arachne's settled on his shoulder and immediately turns to look at the young woman once Peter's noticed her. It would be very, very easy to just keep walking, which, to be honest, is Peter's first instinct, but Arachne immediately says they should talk to her, because she looks lost. He bites his lip and still debates just moving on - talking to pretty girls is definitely not something this fifteen year old has mastered - but eventually he walks over to her, the possum on his shoulder looking at the cat with interest.] Do you need help?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena starts a little and looks over at the boy speaking to her. She smiles a little, mildly embarrassed at not only being spooked a little, but also being caught lost. Elena's used to knowing what to do in most situations and taking charge. Down by her feet, Duke peers up between her and Peter before his attention turns to the possum on his shoulder.]

[She lies a little, but not to be cold or rude. Instead, he seems to have a lot in his hands right now and she doesn't want to hold him up carrying that much of a load.]

Yeah, I'm fine. Just new to town is all. Thanks though.

[myresponsibility]

You're welcome. [And Peter would maybe leave it at that and just be on his way, but Arachne isn't having that. Which is pretty usual for her, but it still can be a pain for Peter to put up with, even though he doesn't try to stop his daemon from saying anything.] Do you need directions? Or anything?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena starts to shake her head no, but pauses. Her smile is bashful.]

Actually... You wouldn't happen to know where the forge owned by Dean Winchester is, would you?

I was told he might have some work for me, but I'm having trouble finding it.

[tactical_alert]

Ma'am--

[She looks almost dazed to Malcolm, and it immediately pings alarms in his head. Izzati beside him mostly just rolls her eyes heavenward and nudges his leg. A subtle sign that she can practically hear said alarms and that he needs to knock it off. He frowns first at Izzati, then at the young woman wandering idly.]

Excuse me, ma'am, but are you lost?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

What?

[Elena stops looking up at the building she was admiring and over to the source of the voice. She smiles and shakes her head.]

Oh, no. Not entirely anyways. I'm just not from around here.

[Duke at her feet is still staring with interest up at the building.]

[tactical_alert]

'We can see that.' [Izzati gives a little wag of her tail, stepping ahead of Malcolm.] 'It's a sight to behold, isn't it? I daresay there's no place else quite like here.'

[Malcolm knows what she's doing and just barely holds in a sigh.] I apologize for her; she gets chatty sometimes around new people. I think she fancies herself more of a tour guide than an officer of the law.

'No, no, of course not, but Oxford is a fine city. And we're always here to help anyone in need. Are you visiting?'

[forgetyourusedtobe]

No. We're not.

[Duke finally takes his attention off the building and steps forward.]

I'm actually looking to move here. [She raises her shoulders a little in a slow shrug with a smile.] The family could use a little extra money back home and I figure there are more jobs here than out in the countryside.

[surfaceshine]

[There's a forge down on Adelaide street that if she's been asking after odd jobs, she has probably been given directions to. The owner and operator is one Dean Winchester, third generation blacksmith, holding down the family business while his brother is off to college and after his father passed last year. A native to Oxford, he is commonly known for a great many things, including knowing everyone's business, producing exceptionally fine quality steelwork, and being generous to his fellow working class.

They have also probably told her that it should be open today, and indeed there is a thin line of smoke coming from the stacks atop the building, but the big double doors to the forget itself are closed. There is, however, a large picture window off to one side of them and the closed man-sized door there and it shows a common area off to one side of the entranceway, and in that common area, Dean is moving around the room somewhat distractedly, moving from a workbench he normally uses for finished products, and a cushioned chair that looks out of place in what is essentially the receiving area of his business. His border collie daemon, Hannah, is laying down out of the way watching him, watching the basket seated on the chair, and watching what she can see out the window with the kind of resigned patience that speaks all too well of knowing how Dean gets when he's focused on something.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena glances inside the picture window first to see how busy the place might be. Frankly, she doesn't have that much experience in this particular trade, but she's not about to turn her nose up to anything. She'd just rather not be underfoot from inexperience. Duke beside her goes on his hinds to peer inside as well.]

[Admittedly, the inside isn't what she's expecting. She wonders what's in the basket. But he seems preoccupied if not entirely busy in the business sense at the moment. Can't hurt to try at the very least. She knocks on the door because she was raised with manners.]

[surfaceshine]

[The moment there is movement in the window, Hannah sees it of course. Her ears perk ever so slightly and her eyes dart for just a moment to find her human, but she doesn't raise her head, not until Elena knocks. She stands, then, and moves to sit down between the basket and the door, Dean pausing in his own actions to look across as well.

A few moments and a short consultation between human and daemon later, the door opens and Dean peers out, uncharacteristically cautious but not disinviting, an uncertain smile on his face. It's not, after all, like he's actually closed for business just now, or that he could afford it anyway.]

Hello.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Duke cranes his head inside past Dean and looks around, but he doesn't step inside. He's curious, but not rude about it. Elena smiles when the door opens, a combination of genuine friendliness and also a touch hopeful. She offers a hand to shake.]

Hi, my name is Elena. I was told I might be able to find some work here?

[surfaceshine]

[Hannah's steady stare is there to meet Duke as soon as his head clears the threshold and she watches him, completely neutral except for the way her ears are raised into alertness. Dean glances down at the movement but he's distracted back up by Elena introducing herself, the motion of her hand towards him.

He smiles more easily, accepts her hand because he can do that, at least, stepping back to let her inside.]

I'm Dean. I don't ah - that depends. Come on in. You normally do forgework?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena steps inside, Duke scurrying in right with her. She glances around the place while Duke wanders a little bit closer to Hannah just to see what she's all about. He sits down a ways away though sensing he probably shouldn't get too close too fast and swishes his tail side-to-side.]

No, [she admits with a small shake of her head.] But I grew up on a farm so manual labor and dirt don't scare me.

[surfaceshine]

[It's a middle class smithy; that's what it was built to be and that's what it has been for a long time, well fortified and well used over the years. There are finished odds and ends in bins against the wall under the picture window, common items that can be customized with a minimum of effort, and half-finished projects on the workbench behind Dean.

Hannah watches Duke intently, difficult to read but not hostile; she keeps one ear turned towards the basket behind her, but raises the other at the cat, sniffing subtly, steady and solid.

Dean presses his lips together in consideration, glancing around, back over his shoulder at the doorway into the forget itself, then returning to Elena.]

Well that's good enough. How long're you looking to stick around? Just passing through, or...?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Duke is curious about the basket. His eyes keep flickering over its way, but he decides it's best he stay where he is and focus more on Hannah than the basket. He only pays her a little more attention, however, before he starts wandering about the shop and work areas, getting a sniff and a good look at the place.]

Actually, I'm looking to stay. My family back home could use the extra money and I wanted to get off the farm and see more of the world anyway.

[A beat before she adds,]

It's okay if you don't have anything permanent though. I'll take something temporary.