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The sense of simmering unease, paired with the sound of less than friendly voices, was generally not a good thing in Valdis' mind. She had sworn to not be a hero again, but it seemed that her particular sense of protectiveness couldn't be squashed so easily. She rounds the corner, her stride casual, almost as if she's going to ignore the issue. The Igheeri seemed to have surrounded a smaller figure, cornering their target by a wall and the words that reach her are quite unsettling.

At the sudden panic that burst from the smaller figure, Valdis moves, suddenly between the Igheeri and the boy, holding the woman's wrist firmly in her hand. The shocked expression on all their faces was actually quite amusing. For a moment the woman's face twisted in anger, and Valdis wonders if the situation is going to escalate, but the Igheeri happens to glance down at the brightly glowing blade that hangs from Valdis' hip and hesitates.

"Have you considered that turning the winds might be a good thing?" she asks the woman, ignoring the rest of the group, "After all, Tu Vishan once drifted on the winds, being able to turn them would have helped the Great Turtle drift to safer waters more easily."

Given the way people had been ignoring them, the sudden shadow on him is surprising, and he looks up only after throwing a tense glance down at his own shadow - but he knows Yokuhi hasn't yet manifested. Which is good. Don't need a protective nyokai being aggressive right now, no matter how reassuring that would be.

The tense weight in the air presses down on him though and he almost opens his mouth to try and say something that'll hopefully defuse the situation but, well. He's the reason it's happening at all. So he bites his tongue, peering past the woman between him and the female Igheeri with a little frown. She's scowling, a distracted glance dropped down to the glowing blade a few times.

"That's---" Briefly, her scowl darkens, then, she actually appears to consider it, studying Valdis' face closely for a few seconds, "... you might be correct. Still..." A glance down at Enki, who prudently ducks back behind his impromptu protection. Maybe that "cleansing ritual" wouldn't have hurt him at all, but the way she'd aimed for his horn even when not knowing it was there at all...

Valdis almost breathed a sigh of relief, it had been a guess that they had religious motivations, she truly was tired of all this superstitious nonsense.

"Might?" Valdis repeats, arching a brow, "I think I know enough of Ban Om's texts and the histories of the turtles to know."

She hadn't read a single word, but seeing as she had been there for a time, it was a bluff she was willing to try. She releases the woman's arms, casually leaning her hand against the holy blade she always carried.

"Besides, isn't it the magic of the Great Turtles that granted the Dreamfolk unique abilities? What you deem a blight, might simply be a gift."

This was a challenge Valdis actually appreciated, it was almost refreshing to settle a dispute with words instead of reputation.

Edited 2018-02-03 04:30 (UTC)

He should probably not be smirking when that 'might' and the woman insisting she's read enough texts she should know makes the Igheeri woman duck her head, eyes flashing. He feels a little sorry for her as well, but considering what he'd been 'threatened' with, however benevolent it might have been...

Yeah, he's not about to say anything.

"It is not his gift from the Dream," she huffs, and Rokuta grimaces behind Valdis, because she's right. Even if he can't fly like this... if that's what they might even have picked up on. Who knows. But the way they talked about wind, and the fact riding the winds is what the flying got called among the kirin... well. "But, I suppose we may have read the signs wrong..."

It's a very reluctant mutter, echoed among the other three Igheeri, and the four share a glance and they start to retreat, clearly willing to at least acquiesce to those arguments. Rokuta doesn't move until they're several meters away, breath escaping explosively.

"Man... thanks."

Valdis holds eye contact with the Igheeri woman, making sure to keep any sort of dislike from her eyes or posture. Her argument seems to have done its work, as the group reluctantly retreats, leaving the two of them alone. The moment they turn their backs, Valdis' hand drops from her sword. The sigh of relief from behind her tells her that they can both relax.

"You're welcome." She says, turning around to take an actual look at the boy, "Any idea why they think you're 'turning the winds'?"

It seemed an absurd notion.

"Eh..."

Running a hand through blond hair that almost takes on a genuinely golden tint in the sunlight, Rokuta throws a side-long glance up at his rescuer. He could lie and say he doesn't know, of course. He wants to be a little careful around here, not the least of which because he only has Yokuhi. But revealing one ability won't do much, he thinks.

"Maybe 'cause I can fly without wings," he says, looking past her to the group as they disappear around the corner. He's noticed those Igheeri, despite their looks, can't exactly fly under their own power. "Funny thing is, we call that riding the winds. Maybe they picked up on that somehow and got offended?" He shrugs, uncertain. He doesn't even understand how they could've noticed at all.

She tips her head, watching him closely. There was something unusual about this boy. Arching a brow, she let the colors of the world fade, watching his soul light up so brightly it was almost blinding. She cuts off soul sight in the next instant, shoving down the instinctive desire to squash the light, the instinct that doesn't belong to her. Valdis takes a breath to center herself and shakes her head.

"I...see," she replies, "Well, they'll probably leave you alone now. But if you'd like an escort to safer ground, I have no plans."

Meeting her gaze with an eyebrow raised in silent question, there's a startling moment where the scent of blood is almost thick enough to taste - there and gone. Too quick to get as idea of what that was about.

"Er..." he's about to thank her again and decline, but the idea of the group waiting further away makes him reconsider, "Yeah. if you don't mind. Hopefully you turned them off the idea, and maybe it wouldn't have been bad... But I'd rather not chance it. Not like I know what I did."

Rokuta shakes his head, frowning. He can only guess, and if it has something to do with the flying, that's not something he can change.

"I'm Enki."

Valdis senses his hesitation, and, for a moment, she thinks he might decline, so her eyes widen when he accepts.

"I don't mind," she replies, trying to ignore what she had undoubtedly seen. Best to not dwell on it any longer than she has to. "It's...nice to meet you, Enki. My name is Valdis."

She looks in the direction the religious group had disappeared in.

"Aside from 'away from here,' Is there a particular place you would like to go?"

Relaxing a little since there's no return of that nearly dizzying sense of violence, Rokuta nods, a smile quirking his lips at the 'away from here' comment.

"Away from here works fine, I was just exploring," he says as he looks around the street and the people passing by, "... and not in the direction they left in, I guess, so that means a more roundabout way back to the Dreaming Bridge."

Because of course that was the direction the group had went in. Nothing could ever be easy.

"So..." Cocking his head, he glances up at Valdis curiously, "you're one of the ones who've been to this place before?"

Valdis nods, finding her way back to the Dreaming Bridge would be simple enough, no matter how roundabout.

"Then we'll do that," she replies, turning to lead the way, making sure to choose the route opposite from what the group of Igheeri had taken. She pauses slightly at his question, shakes her head and then continues.

"It was a long time ago, so it holds little relevance on the present."

"About what I was told, yeah," Rokuta nods, thoughtfully. It's... interesting? That there seems to be a small group that's been here a long while ago and are now back... But if that means anything, who knows? He grins briefly at the thought that follows, "just means you know enough to make people listen, huh?"

Useful, since it can easily be used where it harms none... Or well, he's assuming that that cleansing ritual or whatever wouldn't have harmed him, but the idea still makes him uncomfortable. Sure, he's taken one flight so far, and just the other day, which makes this meeting sort of make sense, but he's pretty sure... no one really saw him.

He left way too early for that, exactly to avoid that sort of thing.

Valdis sighs, continuing to lead the way, not entirely certain why the strange kid is suddenly grinning. Emotions were funny that way, knowing about them doesn't make them any easier to interpret.

"I know many things," she replies, "But people, especially religious ones, are fairly easy to manipulate, and I've been doing that for a very long time."

She turned left, moving down a less crowded street.

Considering what'd just happened on a fully crowded street, less people around is a bit of a relief actually, and Rokuta relaxes a little, just makes sure he walks fast enough to keep up with his impromptu escort.

"... Just easier that way?" Genuine curiosity colours his voice instead of any immediate suspicion, even if he's got an eyebrow raised too. It's kind of refreshing, someone just admitting flat out that this is something they do.

Might not be something she'll care to answer, but just asking doesn't seem like it'll be particularly harmful.

"Easier?" she asked, passing a few market stalls without a glance to her companion, "Not always, but the challenge can be entertaining."

Her tone was fairly light, seemingly uncaring. She knew what she had seen was unusual, but it wasn't a threat.

"I'm...not exactly most people's opinion of a good person. Though I do try to not cause too much trouble these days."

Is that worse or better as a reason for it? He's not sure, and briefly he scrunches his nose as he thinks it over - and blinks, a little surprised at the admission.

"I've seen worse," Rokuta says, voice softer now; this wasn't the place or the situation he'd have thought to be reminded of Atsuyu, "at least you're self-aware." And trying to be better, he thinks, but, with a cocked head and a side-long glance up at her, he doesn't add that.

"Can't exactly be unhappy when you used it to help me, right?"

Valdis almost laughed at that comment. He clearly had no idea, but of course, that was the point. Hopefully none of her new encounters would ever know.

"I've simply had plenty of time to figure out that awareness, it wasn't always pleasant though," she admitted, "And I suppose it would be rather rude to become upset with me now."

And this...boy didn't seem like the type to be so quick to judge.

Edited 2018-02-10 15:07 (UTC)

It would take... quite a lot for him to settle on a completely negative opinion and judgement, yes.

"Exactly," Rokuta says, a little smirk playing around the corners of his mouth, "though you know, lots of time doesn't guarantee someone learns anything, or changes to match that."

With a shake of his head he throws his arms up to cradle his hands behind his head while they walk - it keeps him from looking behind him. The Igheeri had seemed convinced enough, and they didn't seem to be bad people or anything... but he's a little unsettled, still.

"I know someone who takes forever to do what he should, and he often thinks he's right anyway, but..." a shrug as he rolls his eyes; maybe it's not nice to attack someone who's not here to defend himself, but who cares, "as long as you get there."

"Yes, well, I've gone through a few rather drastic changes in my life, such things tend to force one to learn quickly."

Valdis' hand continued to rest on the hilt of her sword, not concerned in the slightest about the long gone Igheeri. She did shoot a small smile at Enki though.

"There is a bit more to it that just getting there, however."

His gaze strayed briefly to the sword and the hand resting comfortably on the hilt, causing him to throw a look around completely unconnected to the Igheeri, but no one around here seemed liable to try and attack them.

But maybe she had other reasons for holding more firmly onto her sword, who knew? It wasn't like he'd made it his business to get acquainted with weapons... the opposite, honestly. Like he was walking on the opposite side of Valdis from where she carried her sword.

"You're the one with the experience," Rokuta laughed, shrugging even with his arms up and hands behind his head. The little grin might be somewhat ironic, even if he did mean it. Changing was for other people. "As long as you're happy with it... and maybe those Igheeri will learn something from this, too."

Even if all she'd said had been mostly to make them let him go - being a little more open-minded about their own faith and other people's abilities wouldn't hurt.

"Though is it, really? Either you dig down, or change, right?"

At least, that's what he'd noticed...

"Change isn't a bad thing," She said, "If things didn't change, life would grow stagnant and eventually cease to be. Sometimes that change is slow, sometimes sudden. Either way, if you are unable to adapt, or refuse to, you die."

And death was also a natural progression of things. Which was what made her unnatural, and yet also remained a question beyond the obvious. Valdis shook her head.

"Life is far more complex than those Igheeri care to believe."

"Sounds about right." Despite the agreement, he grimaced too. Couldn't help it - couldn't help but wonder what if--- But it didn't matter. The actors had followed their course and no one... no. Kouya had changed.

He pushed that train of thought aside with an internal sigh. You'd think that after so long it could stop matter so much.

"People are very good at both of those things... so maybe those Igheeri will actually listen to what you said and change, even if you didn't intentionally mean it," Rokuta said with a twitch of his head and a brief smile, "though I guess I could've been more careful."

Even if he'd been sure he'd taken all due care, leaving early enough the city had been quiet with sleep, still. He still wasn't sure how they'd picked up on it... or maybe it was just a good guess.

Valdis glanced at him, then rolled her eyes, "Oh, I meant every word of it, but I doubt I have the power to change them. They have chosen to cling to flawed beliefs."

There was more he wasn't saying, but she knew about the value of secrets and trust.

"Perhaps you could have been, but its a big city, things don't often stay hidden for long."

"People can be real stupid, yeah," Rokuta snorted, squinting into the warm sunlight, "particularly when it comes to faith... putting trust where it ain't gonna get 'em anything, though sometimes people just need hope... Don't mean they can't change, though."

A pause, as an unwelcome 'usually' dropped into his head and he pushed that away. Would rather not think too deeply about that, in all the ways it could mean.

"I guess... Never had to hide much of anything before, either," he looked up at Valdis, eyebrows raised and a tilted grin on his face, "biggest thing I've had to do was keep my hair wrapped, 'cause the colour isn't usual, but that's not hard to do."

At l least here just his hair colour wouldn't be a giveaway to what he was... he still couldn't reconcile the fact that here, the same word was used for something else entirely. And ridden on!

Valdis inclined her head in agreement, though she refrained from adding more about the stupidity of mortal races, especially since the immortal ones seemed to have just as many problems.

"You're lucky then," she said, "I've spent most of my recent years hiding who I am and what I can do. One good thing about being here is that there are fewer secrets to keep in the dark."

Because many of the Dreamfolk had unique talents and less than virtuous backgrounds.

"Though some must remain there, there are at least people here who understand that."

"Kinda," he agreed with a little grimace. More or less lucky. Could definitely be worse, overall.

"Sounds like a nice break, though, 'cause that seems like it'd be exhausting." He's.. sort of, getting a taste of it right now. Not that he's going to great lengths to be secretive about what he is, but he's trying to be careful.

"You got people who you don't have to hide anything from?" Rokuta cocks his head. Decides letting the thing about secrets lie, because everyone's got secrets... Though sometimes keeping them gets people hurt.

"It is, but I didn't really have another choice on my home world." She shrugged, "Hiding was all I could do."

The only way to survive really. Though Konryu had changed that.

"I have one or two people whom I can confide in, and a few who know more than most. Not all of it by choice, but they respect me enough to keep the secret."

Nothing like what she had had before, but it was enough.

"Do you not have anyone you can trust?"

"Maybe it'll be different whenever you go home again," Rokuta said, frowning a little. No one should have to hide like that, though, of course, that didn't mean it didn't happen, for various reasons. Just because it wasn't right, didn't stop it. "Though at least you do got people here."

The question, though, prods a bark of laughter from him, though there's an edge to it, however genuine the amusement.

"Trust isn't the problem," he said, glancing up at Valdis sideways, then lowering his voice, "you wanted to do something earlier. Something violent. Just for a second or two."

He pauses, just watching her for a beat, then shrugs.

"I'd still tell you, 'cause I believe you wouldn't use that against me. I don't really think anyone here would do something. I just got less protection here."

He was at least old enough, with enough experience, to leverage that against his inner nature, even if it seemed rather ridiculous to think anyone here would actually care... Yokuhi's insistence he be careful helped, too.

Valdis shook her head. She wasn't so foolish as to hold out hope that her world would change. She looked at him without turning her head when his voice lowered and he explained that he had sensed earlier. It was interesting to know that such a brief moment had been sensed by someone else, Enki hadn't outright said it, but such an ability might be similar to her own. Something to pursue at another time perhaps. At least he didn't seem too alarmed by what he had sensed.

She sighed, "I assure you, as long as I am myself, no one has anything to fear from me."

"Like I said, I'm not worried," he said with a lopsided crack of a smile, waving it away, "and hey, if you already know you need to keep a leash on yourself..."

The shrug was nonchalant, but there was a sympathetic edge to his voice. He didn't know what that was like, but it sounded like it'd potentially be exhausting.

"And I'm sure I will have people I can trust, the longer I end up staying." Though... that made Rokuta frown, gaze dropping down to his feet for a few steps. He wanted, and needed to be home, not here, for as much as it was curiously freeing to be here. He wasn't sure what to do with that, honestly.

"It's not myself I'm keeping a leash on," Valdis replied, "If it were, it'd be easier."

At least she had people to help balance it, and someone who was capable of destroying it if it came to that. Hopefully it never would, she didn't really want to put anyone she cared about through that.

"I'm sure you will eventually," she said, noting how Enki suddenly seemed downtrodden, "Being here can be both a gift and a curse, but there are people who are willing to stand by you through anything."

She had firsthand experience with that.

"Huh." He nodded in acknowledgement, shooting a sidelong look up at Valdis and raising an eyebrow, but didn't actually ask what she meant by that. If she wanted to tell him, she would, but in the meantime, that was her secret. No matter if Yokuhi was probably displeased.

"Getting tossed together like this is pretty interesting," he agreed, chewing his bottom lip, "don't really mind, since there's no effect on home of us being here, but..."

But being without his solid center was... unsettling. If nothing else he knew exactly where he had Shouryuu, and what they were. What he'd do.

"It usually is." She didn't care about her home world, however she knew that most people did.

Looking ahead, Valdis pointed out the turn that would take them back to the Dreaming Bridge.

"The Dreaming bridge is around that corner."

Turning to follow the way she pointed, Rokuta felt some tension leave his shoulders and he grinned.

"Thanks for the escort. Think I can go the rest of that short distance without having to worry 'bout ambushes, especially this close to the Dreaming Bridge."

And hopefully tomorrow or in another two days, they'd have forgotten about it or just decided to let it lie and he could go back to wandering the city as normal. Or just pay a bit more attention.

Valdis managed a smile, "Good, I'll leave you here then."

She had other things to do in the city.

"You may wish to be a bit more careful in the future with you abilities. Not everyone will understand them."

"Guess I'll have to, yeah," Rokuta huffed, shaking his head, "I thought leaving in the middle of the night would be good enough, but I guess I should go to the city's outskirts first..."

A shrug. That was his problem to deal with, and he shot her another smile, "I'll figure it out."

With a parting wave, he walked off, and could admit that it was a bit of a relief when he got inside, even if he wasn't planning on staying and practically hiding in here.

Valdis watched, making sure he made it all the way to the building before turning and heading back into the city.