Rena immediately stopped walking as the other mage said something about how Rena could always just say if she didn't want Raz to travel with her any more. Narrowing her eyes, the girl didn't say anything and simply waited for the woman to continue, as she obviously had something to say. Just then, Raz sent a dagger flying an inch away from Rena's face. The girl didn't flinch, for it had been obvious that the blade was aimed at something else, since no one threw daggers if they were truly that incompetent. Silently watching as Raz went to fetch her weapon, Rena waited for the woman to come back and finish what she had begun to explain when the two were interrupted.
The woman then went on to explain about the man's connection with her and why she was searching for him. Rena didn't believe a single word, but still stayed silent. She had no more wish to converse with this woman. Raz seemed to understand and turned around, continuing to walk down the path they were taking. She said something to Rena about it being the truth and also happening to be more than she'd told anyone else, which was something the dancer had no care about. Take it or leave it? Rena thought with a bit of a mental scoff. You don't take or leave information that's left out on the table. You take or leave a deal. If she means, you can believe me or not, that's something else. And with that thought lingering in her mind, Rena continued to walk with the woman, still not saying a word.
I don't need her help. It'll be much faster without her. But I started this, and I'm going to finish it. I just hope that whenever we find that jerk, she doesn't stab me in the back. It's foolish to trust and hope when it comes to a stranger, I know... Internally, Rena was shaking her head at her own actions. Just what was she doing? Partying up with a stranger to find another one. And there wasn't even a particular reason to. The dancer even got the feeling that still, Raz wasn't telling the truth.
"If you want to ask me something, you can try. But just so you know... I think that you care a lot more than you're letting on, about this stranger. It's a bad idea to stare someone in the eyes like that if you're trying to tell a lie. A... random... piece of advice. And a quote from the person you're searching for." Rena remembered that guy telling her that he thought she cared a lot more than she let on. What did he know? What did this woman know, despite all of her lying? Why was Rena even doing this, what did she herself know?
Razhiel dropped all pretenses. It seemed the girl was more untrustworthy than someone with a bounty on her head. Since Krisa seemed content in silence, Razhiel said nothing. Go to Dawn City, visit the normal places where she asked her questions and move on. It seemed he was here, pissed a certain someone off, and left. When she spoke again Razhiel smiled at the girl’s untrustworthiness. ” First off, I never said I did not care. If you are going off my look, what I do not care for is your hostility. I do care, otherwise I would not be spending my time in the back woods of this damn country in search of information. I have a score to settle and I will be prepared before I collect. Second- I did not lie to you.” She looked at Krisa, her look more regal. I have withheld some information, but only information that pertains to my person. As for that quote, he is a hypocrite. Razhiel looked forward once more, her being more contained than before, alert. Her brow slightly furrowed. Do you know his name? Did he say where he was going? And did he do or say anything that indicated what he was capable of. “ Krisa had said ask, so she did. She wondered if the girl would answer.
Rena laughed outright when the woman said that she didn't care. Yes, that was exactly right, she cared. And she adopted false pretenses to make it seem like she didn't cared without actually lying. "I see. So you just naturally have an uncaring look in your eyes." Earlier, the woman had obviously been attempting to seem like it didn't really matter. Well, at least now Rena had the truth. This woman was such a complete, arrogant foreigner. Rena didn't have anything against people from other places, since she wandered to those places and was one herself in that context-- but she did have problems when they adopted an attitude that said they thought they were better than everyone else. She didn't care for her hostility? That was too bad, Rena didn't care for her arrogance and seeming expectation that Rena was only good for information.
"Mm... and you're right. He really is a hypocrite." Rena commented out loud, laughing as she remembered how he had kept saying that the girl reminded him of himself a while ago. That and some friend of his. Rena watched, her expression blank, as Raz turned to face away from the fire mage. Then she spouted some more questions about the man, and Rena mentally sighed. You should really be looking at someone when addressing them. She supposed this was how the man had felt.
"I know his name. And he didn't say where he was going. Just travelling around a bit, considering how dusty he was, most likely from passing through all the trails. Apparently he used to be a bit like me, you know. In case you're wondering about personality." The girl adopted a nonchalant voice, but internally was rather annoyed. "He's a mage, but you knew that already, I assume..." Her answers were vague but still held some information, although most of it Raz probably had no desire to know. As for the name... Rena supposed that the woman could easily find that out herself. "Addressing his name, he's well known in some parts of Fiore from an event a while back. Only part of the name was told to me by himself, but if you ask others using the full version I'm sure you can find out plenty about his abilities. A bit famous, I'd say..."
Razhiel listened. She smiled. She would have to be helped by the most stubborn girl she had ever met. While walking, she side glanced at Krisa as she laughed. So not totally a wall. Razhiel started walking backward to look at Krisa better while they talked. I assumed he was something but I did not see him use his magic. Razhiel laughed, You are really stubborn you know that?" Before Krisa could say anything Razhiel held up her hands, Just being honest... So are you willing to tell me that name and the event you mentioned?"
Rena listened to the woman speak. She was really done talking, and Raz could have the stage now. The other mage just said something about the guy again, and his magic. Rena hadn't really gotten a look at it either, but she knew a few bits but nothing really important or helpful. Then the woman said that the dancer was stubborn and immediately held up her hands, as though fending off a verbal or physical attack of retribution. Rena resented that, but had no intention to say so as the woman defended herself anyways, and then asked if the wanderer would tell her the name and the event.
To be perfectly honest, since apparently the woman was being so, Rena would have to say really everything that she had found out by herself. A nice person would tell Raz in an instant, most likely, but Rena was still curious as to why Raz wanted to find the man. But nonetheless... "There aren't too many red haired, powerful mage type people wandering around Fiore. The event was the war a little while back... he's a war hero, according to people I've inquired about him to. His name... a bird. And a color of hair." The riddle at the end was quite obvious and rather unnecessary, but Rena was feeling very bored at the moment. This woman was boring. She seemed almost two-dimensional to Rena right now, like she had learned the principal of everything but had yet to be able to put it into practice. Coming from a fourteen year old girl who wasn't a genius herself and admitted it though, this didn't mean much.
"Oh, and about his abilities. Apparently he's good at punching people in the face but hasn't done it much." Rena smirked as she remembered how he had used a phrase and then been confused about what it meant, although with his aloof and easygoing attitude it hadn't really bothered him.
Razhiel continued to walk backward, this time hands in her pockets. Getting off the subject of Raven she said "You know you called me out on my half truths. I admitted. I even said as much of the truth as I can... You said you would help me, what I need help with is information. Which your being extremely resistant to giving despite your offer to help... I could ask about yourself and where you come from. What this item is your after. I doubt you would be willing to answer anything about yourself. " Razhiel shrugged, not taking her eyes off Krisa, "You were alone when we met but didn't hesitate to offer to help. You ever think that maybe if you were not so... prickly and pushed people away they would stick around more." Silent for a moment she returned to the conversation. "The event would have been three and a half years ago, him and a few of his friends would be heroes for killing the Emperor of Valland, Takashi IV... I am more interested in what has happened since than... As for his name. Raven... Red? Fire? Flame?" She raised an eyebrow.
Rena simply looked at the woman. ”If you must know, I don’t really have habit of talking about other people. You’re right in that I wouldn’t exactly be willing to answer anything about myself. But I do things because it interests me, that’s the way I live. I am bound to no one and I travel where I want and do what I wish. And you know... don’t you think that the reason I push people away and are prickly is because I don’t want them around? Have I pushed you away so far during this conversation?” The mage knew that she had been rude to many a person to get them to stay away, but she hadn’t done so in this encounter yet. And to address the woman’s other phrases... her guessing...
”Raven, yes. Raven is a hair color as well. He has no last name as far as I can tell, but his title... is on the same track as the third shade of crimson, you just mentioned. He’s easy to find, so that’s really all you need to know. Regular civilians, not even mages, would probably have heard of him. Actually, I’m not sure... it was a while ago, after all.” Rena was mostly done with this conversation. She had nothing to say to this woman anymore. Raz didn’t straight out ask Rena what she was looking for, so there was no reason to give that out. And all in all, the woman was very annoying. She had a goal, and people with goals either were easily sidetracked or they were not. It was boring.
Razhiel nodded throughout Krisa's speech, unfazed. So she had learned a few new things from this encounter, nothing major, but worth some thought. And any other information that she has would be withheld.
Stumbling slightly, she looked down catching herself before fully tripping. Looking back up she continued walking backwards. It was a bit of a way to Dawn City so unless Krisa flat out said to leave or Krisa herself left, she would continue to be annoying. "So what interests you, Krisa?"
Rena glanced absentmindedly over at Raz upon hearing the scuff of a shoe in the path. The woman had tripped, which was no surprise with the childish way she was prancing around facing backwards. With the speed they were going at, they would make it in time to Dawn City though, which was really all Rena was worried about. But if they were to slow down... it might be better to quicken the pace, just in case. The girl began to step a little bit faster, not bothering to see if Raz was keeping up. The other mage was definitely able to, since she was currently walking facing the opposite direction and seemed to be managing alright, except for tripping.
And then she asked a question, upon which Rena nearly stopped to answer but didn't, and simply continued to walk. "I travel a lot because of my occupation and my desire. What kind of magic do you practice?" A question for a question, the girl decided, although she was curious about the woman's magic. She hadn't really gotten any indication of what it was so far, except for that she was guildless and was some kind of hunter. Or hunted a lot, at least.
Razhiel merely turned around and started walking forward when Krisa picked up the pace. She could probably keep the pace backwards but she was only doing it to be able to look Krisa in the face better while they were talking. "So your interest lies in traveling to find interesting things." She stated more to clarify.
She should have expected a question for a question. Though her magic was not a question she wanted to answer.The sun was above them now, though the dense trees made the area still cool thankfully. Razhiel answered anyways, "Lightning." A question for a question, "What is your occupation?"
Rena regarded the woman with something like tiredness as Raz turned around to match the girl's quickened pace and also glanced at the younger mage. "I suppose if you wish to put it like that." Was what Rena answered, just in case Raz's comment about her answer was partially a question. The girl sighed mentally. Would they play at this game forever? The answer to her own question was a single word, and not very specific at all. And of course, it was answered with another question. Rena supposed that since she had started it, she would have to play regardless of how troublesome it was.
"My occupation is a wanderer and also a mage." Rena paused for a moment before asking another question. This was getting boring extremely fast. "Who was your mother and what was her main occupation?" If Rena asked directly where she was from, she would get another one word answer, probably containing the name of a country whose location she had no idea of. If she asked about Raz again, she would likely get another short answer. Therefore, it had to be her mother or father. The woman could answer "mother to me" and just then give her name. But that would only be if she was a full-time mother.
Razhiel could see she was bothering the girl. They would get to Dawn City soon enough and they could part ways if her presence was such a hindrance. The occupation answer she knew but thought maybe it would be more specific. Ah well.
Razhiel thought about the questions Krisa asked her. Well there were two different answers depending on how you looked at it. "My mother's name was Lily. She slayed monsters for a living. Died doing it. She looked at the girl, raising an eyebrow, wondering if that answer pleased her. Is there a person you actually like? And besides traveling what do you like to do?
Rena was listening, but not acting like it. Her eyes were still focused straight ahead, intent upon reaching her goal. Even when Raz said something about her mother, and her death, Rena didn't change her posture and simply said, "I'm sorry." Not an apology for asking a question to bring back any memories of her mother and her death, but simply an apology for the passing in general. Rena then processed the information she'd been given-- Lily, monster slayer, deceased. Perhaps Raz was also a monster slayer, but had left that job for the time being to travel around to do what... find Raven?
The dancer then considered the questions that the other mage had proposed. Of course there's a person I actually like, she thought. That's a rather offensive question; but then again, I suppose this woman is rather offensive in general. "Yes. And I like to... dance." There really wasn't much else to it, so this time Rena wasn't simply keeping things concise. There were plenty of people she liked, but it seemed that fact was difficult for a stranger to contemplate. That or Raz was simply curious and didn't want to bother thinking about the kind of people Rena would like.
Rena spun her katana over her hand and under, still sheathed, but this was a way to pass time instead of simply walking. Then unconsciously, two miniature Swanfires emerged from within the katana. Rena didn't notice it as the flames crept over the katana and began to reach for her hands. Sometimes the inner flame inside her weapon acted up when she hadn't used it for a long time, but the girl trusted the magic enough to never worry.
She nodded her head in acknowledgement of the condolence. Close to four years having passed since, she had mostly made amends with it. Razhiel felt the flare of magic whisper along her skin and watched with interest at the fire that emerged from within Krisa's katana. "I could understand that. It seems to be an integral part of your magic. Beautiful in its own way."
Razhiel lifted up her hands. Lightning struck from the top hand to strike the bottom as if her top hand were a cloud. The lightning branched out a bit, looking like an upside down tree. "It can be a bit awkward walking through a storm with other people around, unless I focus really hard."She knew her previous question had been rude, unsure of what else to say she fell silent.
Rena noted the woman's nod at her apology for Raz's mother's death and didn't react. Nor did the girl say anything to her comments about Rena's answer about dancing. The woman hadn't asked anything more about the people that Rena did like, even though the girl had given the answer yes, which was some what a relief. The dancer wasn't really in the mood to avoid more questions, and she supposed that Raz had finally understood that. Or she had before, and simply had chosen not to act on it. Either way, Rena was feeling much better about this conversation.
Upon hearing Raz say something about it being awkward for her to walk in a storm with other people nearby, Rena didn't quite understand until she remembered that the woman was a lightning user of some sort. But why was it awkward? Was the lightning attracted to her or something, and the reason Raz had to focus was to keep it away from the group? Oh wait, the girl got it now. "I see," was all Rena said. Was Raz simply trying to be friendly, and joke around a little bit? Either way, Rena wasn't exactly feeling comfortable right now. "It's getting dark. We should probably find a place to stop for the night." The two had been travelling for a while now-- after all, they couldn't make it to Dawn City in just one day.
