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[A warrior. She has no reason to believe anything she is told from a stranger in this place... but she would have respected a warrior, if she had ever been able to live the life she once thought that she would.]
And what sort of warrior are you, Childe? In your proper world.
And what sort of warrior are you, Childe? In your proper world.
[ he question gets a sincere pause on his end, curious almost before he asks honestly: ]
You sound... almost like him asking that question. I don't know how he wants me to answer, still... How do you? I'm technically a knight and a leader of an army, but usually someone asking that question to me seems to be looking for something more profound than that.
[ His edgy and volatile emotions seem fine; on the other hand Hayame probably can't miss how his demeanor and sincerity seems a lot clearer towards her. As much as he insisted he was here for her help and, thus would be interested in her specifically, it is clear (at least compared to now) that wasn't really all that true before. As one would expect of a stranger approaching an indubitably on an 'opposing side' it was an interest of necessity and one he didn't want to have, Privacy allay having expected conflict.
Now though, he does seem interested in her insight, like a child almost might ask a teacher. Not that he thinks she's older or any sort teacher, but she does sound like she might come from a place where being a warrior meant something, like all those ancient legend of heroes his dad used to tell him as a boy. ]
You sound... almost like him asking that question. I don't know how he wants me to answer, still... How do you? I'm technically a knight and a leader of an army, but usually someone asking that question to me seems to be looking for something more profound than that.
[ His edgy and volatile emotions seem fine; on the other hand Hayame probably can't miss how his demeanor and sincerity seems a lot clearer towards her. As much as he insisted he was here for her help and, thus would be interested in her specifically, it is clear (at least compared to now) that wasn't really all that true before. As one would expect of a stranger approaching an indubitably on an 'opposing side' it was an interest of necessity and one he didn't want to have, Privacy allay having expected conflict.
Now though, he does seem interested in her insight, like a child almost might ask a teacher. Not that he thinks she's older or any sort teacher, but she does sound like she might come from a place where being a warrior meant something, like all those ancient legend of heroes his dad used to tell him as a boy. ]
"Him"?
[She detests this vagueness. But it is perhaps not surprising that she does. She does not come off as a woman who likes so much as tolerates, who does not feel joy so much as she feels a lack of anger.
As for the way she means to ask about him being a warrior...]
I am an archer, and a jinba. I hunt, I track, and I retrieve.
If you are a general, I suspect you are accustomed to being obeyed. But I will not take orders from you, should we work together on this. Not unless I acknowledge that you are my better or the more versed on the effort at hand.
[Maybe it wasn't so deep after all.]
[She detests this vagueness. But it is perhaps not surprising that she does. She does not come off as a woman who likes so much as tolerates, who does not feel joy so much as she feels a lack of anger.
As for the way she means to ask about him being a warrior...]
I am an archer, and a jinba. I hunt, I track, and I retrieve.
If you are a general, I suspect you are accustomed to being obeyed. But I will not take orders from you, should we work together on this. Not unless I acknowledge that you are my better or the more versed on the effort at hand.
[Maybe it wasn't so deep after all.]
Ah, just some guy from back home, his name is Zhongli. I would definitely bore you telling you about him.
Oh, I'm an archer most of the time, too. If you're dedicated to it, maybe you'd be willing to help me with my form sometime?
As for people obeying me, don't worry, we're equals through and throb, especially here. I give orders back home, yeah, but I prefer to be on the battlefield alongside them, so it has never gone to my head or anything. And this isn't home.
Oh, I'm an archer most of the time, too. If you're dedicated to it, maybe you'd be willing to help me with my form sometime?
As for people obeying me, don't worry, we're equals through and throb, especially here. I give orders back home, yeah, but I prefer to be on the battlefield alongside them, so it has never gone to my head or anything. And this isn't home.
[Why the hell is he telling her about some guy from back home, then... ? Hayame does the mental equivalent of a squint... and then moves on. With a tch.]
If you need help with your form then perhaps I should be the one giving orders.
[... She does not quite get why a leader would want to be with his troops. That's not the point of a general.
Besides,]
I highly doubt we use bows of the same type.
[... Mainly because she's seven feet tall and her bow is six.]
If you need help with your form then perhaps I should be the one giving orders.
[... She does not quite get why a leader would want to be with his troops. That's not the point of a general.
Besides,]
I highly doubt we use bows of the same type.
[... Mainly because she's seven feet tall and her bow is six.]
[ he didn't mean to it just came out! Anyway, he's much more friendly (chipper) now that she's taking more to him and send to at least be considering working with him. Easy to please, maybe? ]
Sure, sure~. You can give the orders if it's that important to you; but if we get fucked in any manner, you'll have to automatically take full blame instead of 50/50 defaults as equals.
—Ah, good point. [ yeaaahhh he might do a Pikachu face when he meets her for real and sees how big she is even though he did technically see her in Liem's communion, no big deal. ]
Sure, sure~. You can give the orders if it's that important to you; but if we get fucked in any manner, you'll have to automatically take full blame instead of 50/50 defaults as equals.
—Ah, good point. [ yeaaahhh he might do a Pikachu face when he meets her for real and sees how big she is even though he did technically see her in Liem's communion, no big deal. ]
[ shes so miserable personalitywise, wow. She needs some fluffy rainbows and things in her life. ]
Meridians Liem and Vander.
Zeniths Rosaria and Barnaby.
I only officially proposed to Liem so far, though. If I couldnt get you and him on board, there was no point.
Meridians Liem and Vander.
Zeniths Rosaria and Barnaby.
I only officially proposed to Liem so far, though. If I couldnt get you and him on board, there was no point.
[ Hayame is full of surprises, Kaeya thinks to himself. He didn't expect her to agree to his request for archery lessons after some deliberation. If anything, he figures she would have said no and asked him to think of something else, but the fact that she agreed and she went and helped him pick out the proper equipment — well, perhaps she isn't so difficult to get along with after all.
Or so he likes to believe.
When the day of his first lesson arrives, he remains a diligent student, listening to her tips and tricks. His posture is proper, his grip is strong, and his aim — even with one eye — is true and accurate. Years of learning how to fight with a disadvantage like this have taught him to accommodate properly, but he'll always miss having someone else cover his blindside. Alas, all he can do nowadays is rely on himself, and that's why he's learning to be better.
He is currently collecting the arrows from the target when he tosses a harmless question down Hayame's way. They're on break so he figures it would be nice to kick up some small chatter. ]
So— how am I doing?
[ Is there room for improvement? She's been a fair teacher thus far, so he knows he can expect her words to be valuable. ]
Or so he likes to believe.
When the day of his first lesson arrives, he remains a diligent student, listening to her tips and tricks. His posture is proper, his grip is strong, and his aim — even with one eye — is true and accurate. Years of learning how to fight with a disadvantage like this have taught him to accommodate properly, but he'll always miss having someone else cover his blindside. Alas, all he can do nowadays is rely on himself, and that's why he's learning to be better.
He is currently collecting the arrows from the target when he tosses a harmless question down Hayame's way. They're on break so he figures it would be nice to kick up some small chatter. ]
So— how am I doing?
[ Is there room for improvement? She's been a fair teacher thus far, so he knows he can expect her words to be valuable. ]
[Kaeya Alberich wasn’t the first man to ask her for archery lessons… but he was the first one to do so who seemed serious enough about it while also being wise enough not to make the request until she was in his debt.
And in all honesty… he was not the most irritating student. For all his silver tongue could wag, he seemed willing to focus when it mattered. She could not instruct him on the longbow, her preferred weapon, it would be far too big, but the shortbow she’d selected for him at the armsdealer near the leatherworker’s was working smoothly enough…
And once she sends him to retrieve the last round of arrows she declares a short break. Pulling a small flask from the belt around her “waist” where… basically everything she owned was hanging, she takes a swig… and pauses to consider his question, one brow arched slightly.]
Far better than my last pupils.
[Another swig.]
… but they were colts under nine summers old, so do not let that compliment go to your head.
And in all honesty… he was not the most irritating student. For all his silver tongue could wag, he seemed willing to focus when it mattered. She could not instruct him on the longbow, her preferred weapon, it would be far too big, but the shortbow she’d selected for him at the armsdealer near the leatherworker’s was working smoothly enough…
And once she sends him to retrieve the last round of arrows she declares a short break. Pulling a small flask from the belt around her “waist” where… basically everything she owned was hanging, she takes a swig… and pauses to consider his question, one brow arched slightly.]
Far better than my last pupils.
[Another swig.]
… but they were colts under nine summers old, so do not let that compliment go to your head.
[ That just makes him laugh. ]
I wouldn't dream of it. I'll continue to work hard.
[ After all, he is learning from an expert and he'd hate to make it feel like she's just wasting her time here. One must never be satisfied with being "good enough," so he'll go right back to being a diligent student once this break is over.
For now, however, he is content to keep up with the mundane conversation. He taps at his own eyepatch while he returns with the arrows. ]
How about your eyepatch? Has it been comfortable?
I wouldn't dream of it. I'll continue to work hard.
[ After all, he is learning from an expert and he'd hate to make it feel like she's just wasting her time here. One must never be satisfied with being "good enough," so he'll go right back to being a diligent student once this break is over.
For now, however, he is content to keep up with the mundane conversation. He taps at his own eyepatch while he returns with the arrows. ]
How about your eyepatch? Has it been comfortable?
[Finishing a bit more of her drink, Hayame puts the flask back on her "belt" before holding out her hand in demand for Kaeya's arrows. They had to make sure they'd gotten their money's worth from that smithy. These arrows weren't made with bamboo like hers were- she's also a bit curious.
The eyepatch, though...]
... It has been, yes.
[A slight delay, as if admitting other people were right was still slightly difficult for her. But she does it. And when he hands over the arrows, she falls silent for the inspection beyond a low hum, bringing the fletching closer to her remaining eye and slowly running her gaze down the shaft looking for cracks.]
The eyepatch, though...]
... It has been, yes.
[A slight delay, as if admitting other people were right was still slightly difficult for her. But she does it. And when he hands over the arrows, she falls silent for the inspection beyond a low hum, bringing the fletching closer to her remaining eye and slowly running her gaze down the shaft looking for cracks.]
[ Kaeya hands the arrows over to her for inspection, a smile blooming on his face. ]
I'm glad to hear it. [ At least that's one good thing. ] Everything else has been alright too, then?
[ She can take it however she'd like — whether by assuming he's still talking about the eyepatch or everything else that's going on with her life. A lot has happened since they last spoke so here's his small attempt to try and find out if she's been doing okay. ]
I'm glad to hear it. [ At least that's one good thing. ] Everything else has been alright too, then?
[ She can take it however she'd like — whether by assuming he's still talking about the eyepatch or everything else that's going on with her life. A lot has happened since they last spoke so here's his small attempt to try and find out if she's been doing okay. ]
[The arrow shafts seem to be passing inspection, if the lack of annoyed sounds is any indication. Next, the arrowheads.
But when he asks about... "everything else"... she pulls her eye from the arrow and looks over to Kaeya instead, one eyebrow raising. ... The one mostly concealed by her eyepatch. (Maybe she should switch expressive eyebrow sides.)]
What else is there?
[... Is she serious? She might be serious.]
But when he asks about... "everything else"... she pulls her eye from the arrow and looks over to Kaeya instead, one eyebrow raising. ... The one mostly concealed by her eyepatch. (Maybe she should switch expressive eyebrow sides.)]
What else is there?
[... Is she serious? She might be serious.]
[ That's going to be a hard habit to break.
Kaeya thinks it's cute, however, but won't say that statement out loud. He shrugs and thinks about the best way to approach this. Then again, this is Hayame, and she'd probably appreciate a straightforward attempt more than most. ]
Oh, you know. How you're adjusting to things here and the like. Compared to Achamoth, I'd say this place is a lot quieter besides the small blip in Alenroux.
[ Alenroux was more than just a blip. More so for others. ]
Kaeya thinks it's cute, however, but won't say that statement out loud. He shrugs and thinks about the best way to approach this. Then again, this is Hayame, and she'd probably appreciate a straightforward attempt more than most. ]
Oh, you know. How you're adjusting to things here and the like. Compared to Achamoth, I'd say this place is a lot quieter besides the small blip in Alenroux.
[ Alenroux was more than just a blip. More so for others. ]
[She wished that the demon who had taken her eye had scarred her entire face. At least then... she would never forget there wasn't anything there anymore. Her eyebrow still rises, her eyelashes still flutter, her eyelids still squint. There is simply... nothing but dark emptiness behind them.
But he wants to know how she is... adjusting. He calls the incident in Alenroux... a small blip.
And that makes her lips purse, her remaining gaze pull from the arrowhead to find Kaeya, instead. A small blip...]
Liem Talbott died.
[... She had nearly died, as well. But she would rather keep that shame between herself, the priest of Abadar, and the one who she'd needed to heal her so she didn't just expire on the way to the sacred tree, Liem's shard and the monster's tucked into against her breast.]
But he wants to know how she is... adjusting. He calls the incident in Alenroux... a small blip.
And that makes her lips purse, her remaining gaze pull from the arrowhead to find Kaeya, instead. A small blip...]
Liem Talbott died.
[... She had nearly died, as well. But she would rather keep that shame between herself, the priest of Abadar, and the one who she'd needed to heal her so she didn't just expire on the way to the sacred tree, Liem's shard and the monster's tucked into against her breast.]
[As much as Claude enjoys poking his nose into other peoples' business, in this case, it was more that he stumbled across someone's business than he'd been actively looking for it. Things have been pretty miserable for Meridian across the board, and for some reason he hasn't quite been able to pin down, Claude's been feeling even worse than most. He has a heavy cloak drawn around his shoulders to ward off a chill that doesn't seem to have much to do with the climate at all and seems to come and go at random, and he has a gnawing feeling of being alone that he'd rather not dwell on.
That is, until he has a new and jarring sensation of someone with a Shard nearby. He wonders if he's just imagining things, but another clue to tip him off is a pair of harried-looking stablehands complaining of a half-horse woman who seems to be spooking the horses. If she's a Shardbearer, Claude has a good hunch of who it is, so he asks the pair which stable she's apparently barged her way into and taken over.
How should he do this? Maybe Hayame is there because she wants to be left alone. Still, she'd been open to talking to him before, so he has to try. He approaches, aaand... knocks on the stable door like a totally polite and normal visitor. Nothing weird about this, nope.]
Knock knock. Anyone home?
[The punchline to this knock knock joke might be that this is a prank and he really is just bothering a poor horse... Time to find out.]
That is, until he has a new and jarring sensation of someone with a Shard nearby. He wonders if he's just imagining things, but another clue to tip him off is a pair of harried-looking stablehands complaining of a half-horse woman who seems to be spooking the horses. If she's a Shardbearer, Claude has a good hunch of who it is, so he asks the pair which stable she's apparently barged her way into and taken over.
How should he do this? Maybe Hayame is there because she wants to be left alone. Still, she'd been open to talking to him before, so he has to try. He approaches, aaand... knocks on the stable door like a totally polite and normal visitor. Nothing weird about this, nope.]
Knock knock. Anyone home?
[The punchline to this knock knock joke might be that this is a prank and he really is just bothering a poor horse... Time to find out.]
[Hayame has not really left the stall in the eastern Springstar stable that she called "home" since she had left the tree upon their return to Kenos proper, slinking out in shame before most of the shard-bearers came to. The sensation of failure had been overwhelming, her own personal feelings compounded by the force of it coursing through Meridian in the wake of the loss. Whether she felt any personal responsibility or not, whether she had won her own battles or not... "they" had been defeated.
In her own world, she had used a waterfall. But there is nothing of that height to throw herself off in this place, and even if she did... she would not die. Even if she slit her own belly open, she would not die. She would become a shard, reduced to the arrowhead-shaped chunk of obsidian now buried in her chest, the one that made her so sick she couldn't crush it underhoof herself.
So she wastes away alone, snarling at any of the grooms or the owners of the various mounts in the other stalls who try to speak to or bother her. Her mane and tail grow dry and brittle, no matter the oil she tries to comb through it. Her hooves begin to crack and ache with pain when she puts her weight upon them, and so she goes down... and stays down, a wretched, one-eyed dun nag on wood shaving bedding.
When someone knocks on the stable door, calling out... she doesn't bother paying attention to the voice, or who it belongs to, doesn't try to sense them either. She just assumes its the grooms again. They'd been gossiping, wondering about whether to call a doctor, if she was colicing like some fucking horse, talking of attempting to evict her-
So she doesn't answer.
But if he lets himself in to the stables... the shard-bearer in her visitor's senses seems to be in the last stall on the right. There is only a half-door on the twelve by twelve enclosure, nothing like privacy, just a jinba on her side with her back to the outside world.]
In her own world, she had used a waterfall. But there is nothing of that height to throw herself off in this place, and even if she did... she would not die. Even if she slit her own belly open, she would not die. She would become a shard, reduced to the arrowhead-shaped chunk of obsidian now buried in her chest, the one that made her so sick she couldn't crush it underhoof herself.
So she wastes away alone, snarling at any of the grooms or the owners of the various mounts in the other stalls who try to speak to or bother her. Her mane and tail grow dry and brittle, no matter the oil she tries to comb through it. Her hooves begin to crack and ache with pain when she puts her weight upon them, and so she goes down... and stays down, a wretched, one-eyed dun nag on wood shaving bedding.
When someone knocks on the stable door, calling out... she doesn't bother paying attention to the voice, or who it belongs to, doesn't try to sense them either. She just assumes its the grooms again. They'd been gossiping, wondering about whether to call a doctor, if she was colicing like some fucking horse, talking of attempting to evict her-
So she doesn't answer.
But if he lets himself in to the stables... the shard-bearer in her visitor's senses seems to be in the last stall on the right. There is only a half-door on the twelve by twelve enclosure, nothing like privacy, just a jinba on her side with her back to the outside world.]
[Hearing no response, Claude enters the stable, and the feeling of a Shard only grows stronger. It's probably a good thing he's not sneaking around in this case, because it occurs to him that the other Shardbearer will likely be able to sense his approach, too.
He follows the feeling all the way to the last stall, spotting Hayame, looking a more miserable sight than even the cave he'd last seen her in Horos, even with her back turned.]
Heya. Do you always greet guests by ignoring them?
[Though his words are still flippant, he's more subdued now that he's seen the state she's in. How long has she been living like this...?]
He follows the feeling all the way to the last stall, spotting Hayame, looking a more miserable sight than even the cave he'd last seen her in Horos, even with her back turned.]
Heya. Do you always greet guests by ignoring them?
[Though his words are still flippant, he's more subdued now that he's seen the state she's in. How long has she been living like this...?]
[It's hard to tell time in the city where it is always light, illuminated by twin suns in perpetuity. It has been... some time. A few days. Since her hooves started to ache and crack. It was fine. (Hah.) Shard-bearers didn't die.
There is very little in her stall that makes it seem like a person, not a horse, resides inside of it. There is a spare robe hung on a nail on one wall. A withered, dried up... is it a string of flowers?, on the nail next to it. Her bow and quivers are hung beside them. And that... is it, beyond the simple bean pillow that she lays her head on.
The sound of footsteps approaching, the voice closer, too close... her tail flicks angrily over the wood shavings.]
What guest? I didn't invite any guests.
[... Where had she heard that voice before?]
There is very little in her stall that makes it seem like a person, not a horse, resides inside of it. There is a spare robe hung on a nail on one wall. A withered, dried up... is it a string of flowers?, on the nail next to it. Her bow and quivers are hung beside them. And that... is it, beyond the simple bean pillow that she lays her head on.
The sound of footsteps approaching, the voice closer, too close... her tail flicks angrily over the wood shavings.]
What guest? I didn't invite any guests.
[... Where had she heard that voice before?]
As a matter of fact, I invited myself. [And he is not at all apologetic about this fact, hypocritical as it is to have lectured her about manners. He leans against the stall door, though he at least has the good sense not to just barge right in.] Come on, can we talk? I thought you might be excited to see an old friend.
[More likely is she'll just be confused, as Sooyoung was, but he has to bait her into talking with him somehow, right?]
[More likely is she'll just be confused, as Sooyoung was, but he has to bait her into talking with him somehow, right?]
[This one, whoever he is, is persistently. Annoyingly so. And though he doesn't want to, resents being dragged from her wallowing... she rolls herself over to at least haul her upper half off the ground (the bedding sticking to her side) with a snapping-]
I do not have any friends, either-
I do not have any friends, either-
So you say, but you look like you could use one, so I'll be your one and only.
[He smiles at her in return of the glare and offers a little wave, if only to disguise the concern that would otherwise show in his expression. If he recalls right, she was one who might mistake it for pity, and resent him for it.]
You do remember me, right? Claude? Dashingly handsome? Uses a bow like you do?
[He smiles at her in return of the glare and offers a little wave, if only to disguise the concern that would otherwise show in his expression. If he recalls right, she was one who might mistake it for pity, and resent him for it.]
You do remember me, right? Claude? Dashingly handsome? Uses a bow like you do?
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