The sun quickly passed through its zenith, bleaching the town in the harsh light of mid-summer.
Noone walked briskly through the streets, passing by vendors and townsfolk all of which were going about their own ways.
Anyone who saw Noone coming were quick to make way for him given his size. Every so often someone would stare at the markings on Noone's body, however he would quickly meet their eyes causing them to look away.
Noone couldn't see it for himself, but he assumed that his most recent breakthrough had an effect on his aura. Power tended to be something everyone had an instinctual sixth sense for. This is why any increase in strength would lead to a barely perceptible change around Noone.
While walking he passed by a familiar vendor who was selling Urchins. Noone smiled at the man who recognized him, beckoning Noone over for food.
Although he wasn't hungry, he couldn't keep his desire at bay and paid the few coppers for skewer of meat. The man seemed more than happy to have a repeat customer.
Noone continued on his way, turning down the main street and approaching a store with clothes displayed out front.
There was a teen girl Noone recognized as the store clerk sweeping dirt out the front door. When she looked up and saw Noone approaching she let out a small yelp in surprise before recomposing herself.
It had been only three days since she saw him last, but why did he seem… bigger? The girl gave off a pleasant meaningless smile and invited Noone inside.
"Just you today, Sir?" She asked, noticing the moon-elf which had been accompanying him before was not present.
"Yes, Rae has stuff to do today. We are leaving town later today." Noone responded. His eyes scanned the interior of the store looking for the tailor.
"Ah…" The smile on the girls face faltered for just a moment. She wondered about the implications. If such strong people were leaving town… is it related to the war? She shuddered but didn't say anything, however in her heart she was worried. She wanted to leave town, head into the country as far away from here as possible. But she was alone, basically under the care of Mr. Rynt. She couldn't leave by herself.
"Let me go get Mr. Rynt for you." The girl said. Noone nodded, he noticed the shift in the girl's mood but said nothing. He could guess her thoughts from her demeanor, but there was nothing he could do. The teen girl disappeared into the back room, only to return a second later on the tail of the tailor.
"Noone my friend! Hello!" A smile broke out on Noone's face that reached his eyes as he saw the clothes Mr. Rynt carried out. Three sets.
"Hello Mr. Rynt." Noone said, unable to tear his gaze from the cloth. The tailor grinned.
"Please. Call me Johny." The tailor said. Noone smiled turned wry, is that really okay?
"Well alright then, Johny Rynt. That's a good name." Noone said, suddenly the unassuming tailor reached out and shook Noone's hand excitedly, as though reintroducing himself. Noone met the man's grip. Why was the tailor in such a good mood?
Even the teen girl was shocked. Mr. Rynt had been keeping to himself for the past few days, not even interacting with her much. For him to go from that to this? Normally Mr. Rynt wore the persona of a well-dressed calm and collected tailor. So what was up with his attitude now?
"Noone. Come back with me. Then you can try these on." The man said, turning heel and walking straight back into the room behind the counter. Noone shrugged and followed along. The girl had half a mind to follow as well, but chose against it.
As they passed through the door, Johny handed the clothes to Noone who quickly began unfolding them.
A smile broad grin broke out on his own face.
The article he held looked nothing like pants of the common world. It looked like a large towel's worth of fabric with four ties strategically sewn into it. Anyone who saw this would have no idea how it could possibly be turned into a pair of pants. Anyone except the people of Tapestry.
Noone immediately began tying the strips around his waist, tucking and twisting the fabric until suddenly the large cloth wrapped neatly around his body.
Mr. Rynt smiled as he watched Noone, obviously by Noone's reaction he had managed to create them to specifications.
Noone stood in front of a well-lit mirror, looking at the pants he wore. The legs of the pants were long and flowing, split along the sides allowing for Noone's movements to be completely unhindered as he moved around.
Until he met Mr. Rynt, he never thought he would have a chance to wear the clothes of his home again. He knew logically he could have gone to any tailor and had this done, but actually receiving them in person… Noone grinned as his mind drifted back home.
"Mr… No, Johny. Thank you. I can't express my gratitude enough." Noone said. Johny nodded. When Noone had told him about these clothes from his home. The tailor was immediately intrigued and agreed to try and manufacture three sets for Noone.
Throughout the last three days, along with his usual orders, Johny had put his nose to the grinding wheel and really scratched his brain on how exactly to stitch these weird clothes together. Finally, he managed to come up with a format he was satisfied with.
"Noone, I am willing to waive the fee for these clothes on a condition." Johny said, still smiling brightly. Noone looked at him, eyebrows raising slightly. Noone didn't see the tailor as someone who would easily forego payment.
"I want to hear about your home. Tapestry, you said? Good name for a city." Mr. Rynt smiled, and began explaining to Noone what was on his mind.
It turned out that once he figured out how, stitching these pants together was three times easier than creating normal clothes in the style of the common world. In other words, he could manufacture two to three of these in the time it took him to make one of a normal set.
Noone nodded, he didn't know much about tailoring, so he just listened as Johny talked excitedly.
"You see Noone, I actually was a Tailor from the capital city of Ceres, a country very far north of here, near the northern desert. How I ended up here is a long story, but what it boils down to is I lost my drive.
I was a tailor under a prodigious union, each of which developed clothes on the edge of fashion and utility. However, I hit a road block.
However, now I have found this." He spoke, gesturing to Noone's clothes.
"The world is always thirsty for new fashion. This holds especially true when the fashion has the history of a unique people's behind them. People will pay pretty for clothes from faraway lands and rare tribes and races." Johny looked at Noone and with wide eyes, trying to discern whether or not Noone understood.
Noone could only smile wryly as he thought about what the tailor said. He could obviously tell that Johny was asking whether or not he could sell these clothes and use the history of Tapestry to help.
Noone thought about this for a bit. The fact Mr. Rynt was asking him at all gave Noone a good impression. The tailor could just have easily waited for Noone to leave and begin manufacturing the clothes without ever consulting him.
"Is it okay for me to use the history of my home in such a way…?" Noone's memories of the past bubbled to the surface, good and bad alike… "Well," he thought, "If it keeps a portion of Tapestry alive, there should be no harm in it." He gazed at Mr. Rynt's well-meaning smile.
After a moment of silence Noone nodded and began to tell Johny Rynt of his home. For the most part, he did not leave anything out, including the plague which seemed to wipe out his race.
When Noone got to this part, it took him quite a bit of willpower to not get choked up on his own memories.
Even Johny's mood dipped as Noone described what had occurred.
"Noone. I am sorry, if I had known I would have approached you much more delicately."
Noone shook his head. "It's fine. You couldn't have known."
They spoke for a bit longer before Noone noticed the time and needed to return to the Temple.
"I do not know when or how we will meet again, but I have no doubt you will find me." Johny said, opening up the door for Noone.
As Noone stepped through he made eye contact with the teen store clerk. Her eyes were red and watery, she stood just to the side of the door shifting from foot to foot looking at Noone.
Noone reached out a hand and patted the young girls head. In truth, he had noticed with his divine sense that she was standing outside the door with her ear cupped to it the whole time as Noone explained where he came from.
When Mr. Rynt saw this his face went red with embarrassment… truly this girl.
"Jodi!" He said, forcing her to finally stand up straight and look at him. "Start packing the shop. Then get us a horse and carriage. We are heading towards the capital of Cinapul. We have work to do!"
The girls' eyes were wide, but she immediately nodded her head and scrambled off to get boxes. Noone chuckled at this.
"Well, Johny. Stay safe. I hope to see you again." Noone said. He shook the Tailors hand one last time before leaving the shop with his new clothes.
Noone immediately felt immensely more comfortable in these clothes than the clothes of the common world. How could these people ever enjoy the sensation of having their legs trapped in those cloth prisons? He chuckled to himself.
Without bothering to care, he had given strangers one more reason to stare at this odd, foreign, statue of a man.
As Noone approached the temple his eyes immediately furrowed as he heard the sound of yelling echoing out from the courtyard.
It was a voice he was very familiar with.
"Sarah! What have you done!?" Feylin's angry voice was the source of many stares. The entire party was present in the courtyard, as well as Jakobson who stood just off to the side and a few clergymen who looked on with various expressions.