Better Late Than Never?

Jiyn couldn't have been more out of his comfort zone. Well, compared to the dozens of mercenaries and skilled recruits that seemed to have been bred for this exact moment at least. When Jiyn was asked to swing a sword, he asked if he could use his dagger. Which was promptly denied and followed with harsh language. When Jiyn was asked to hit a target with an arrow, he asked if he could throw the smaller knives he had in his pack instead. Once again, he was denied. Jiyn didn't think it was wise to tell the ones hiring him that he never really was taught... properly. Better late than never? Sure he learned that pulling the string back on a bow made the arrow fly, and that the sharp side of the blade doesn't feel good when you hit something with it, but it all seemed so rigid to him compared to how he was taught. He was used to being up close and personal. Using the momentum of mistakes of others and his own tricks to gain advantages. Leaving himself open just to feint and weave between swings while throwing blades at exposed areas. Not exactly something that a proper teacher would probably tell you to do...

Jiyn knew this was no time for arguing. Burning his first opportunity in Arcadia seemed like a pretty poor way to start. Every derogatory term was followed by a smile and a "My bad, I got it" from Jiyn. All he had to do was perform better than the people around him, right? So he distanced himself from the obviously impressive mercenaries and made friends with a younger man then himself in the back. They chatted about the things they did back in the day while waiting in line to swing a sword. Next they discussed past family while the thuds of arrows hitting targets. Jiyn tried his very best to teach the poor farmer from the Empire with no parents left and a hunchback brother, but he was truly a lost cause. The moment the food came, the farmer was approached and asked to leave. He was already as red the blood running down his nose from the calisthenics, but the embarrassment was visual. He stormed off before Jiyn could even get in a goodbye. "They didn't even let the poor bastard eat..." Jiyn mumbled to himself.

After retrieving his food, he realized he had no acquaintances left. Everyone leftover had some semblance of competence in this field that he just didn't have. He paid close attention to each group he walked by. Some talked of their greatest tales. Some talked of the greatest women they've slept with while the women in the group would retaliate with their own stories about men they dismembered for talking to them like that. All and all, a rather typical scene and just what Jiyn expected.

Eventually he approached a group that finally caught his eye. Particularly, the three mercenary recruits he's been watching throughout the morning trails breeze through the trials gloriously. At least in his eyes. Jiyn knew if he was going to find group with anyone in this place, it was going to be those three. He listened for a while and when the time was right, Jiyn slipped in and set his food down next to Tarmen, trying not to hit anything and especially not anyone. "Personally I'm more scared of wild life out there. At least with the natives you can reason with them. I'm sure they're... nice people?" Jiyn said unsurely with a joking smile. "Sorry to barge in, my name is Jiyn. You all were simply impressive this morning." He said acknowledging the three mercenaries, and some of the others in the surrounding.

"Would you like some salt?" Jiyn pulled out a small leather sack and undid the knot at the top. He took out a thin sheet of salt that had the looks of been scraped off a pan just the day prior. He crushed it in his hand, then rubbed his fingers together to granulate it and sprinkled it on his meal.

"It's fresh from the Sea of Storms?" Jiyn said offering it to the group with a friendly smile.