19 Jan 20xx: Of Respects Paid

[Reiko Souma]

This scene played out in the Wilds with Mist Gul following the death of Azshara at the hands of Sev sometime in late 2020 at the Red Dragon Inn. The exact date is unknown, only that it was before Reiko met Vyper.

Saying good-bye to someone that one didn't get to know for more than a few hours was nothing short of awkward for Reiko. Yet, as the woman drove towards this part of the "local" map, she also found herself missing Azshara some. Knowing nothing about the one's personal life didn't mean a thing to the psychic; for just a moment last night, she thought she might have glimpsed into a true side of the woman's personality: caring and selfless. Still, an internal conflict ensued.

And was resolved with Reiko making a fast decision. This wasn't a good-bye. She was simply observing her cultural tradition of a proper sendoff, albeit it would be done in a very unconventional way. There was no family to notify, no means of finding out who and how to notify, and no photo to frame as a rei. No priest from Reiko's faith would be present at the memorial site to read any special passages of comfourt - just Reiko herself. And, she was fine with this.

What had prompted her drive this far north was pure assumption. This area was removed from civilisation and often considered peaceful enough, right? So, there just had to be multiple memorials and grave markers present for the deceased to lie in their final resting place. Reiko was bound to find Azshara's.

As the Albino continued to drive, a thought came to her mind. Mist. He was in this area, wasn't he? It really had been awhile since she's gone to see familiar people, whether at home or at work. Pulling over to the right, Reiko set the car to park and lifted her phone from the dash in front of the steering wheel. A few taps of the buttons later, and she was waiting for Mist's phone to ring. It was on speakerphone, and her phone had been relocated to a dash mount. She wasn't moving until she knew what direction she was going in.

"Silhaeven," a simple response to the phone, before it had rang more than once, as if it was already in his hands. And it seemed, he was walking quite afield from his work. His stride was long and consumed meters as he moved, now and again the snap of his cloak gave evidence of the speed he moved at.

! Reiko was used to being the one to answer phone calls on the first ring, most of the time. She wasn't used to someone else doing the same thing and was briefly startled. "Ack! Hey, Mist...are you free for a few?" Reiko asked. She sat back in the driver's seat, recovered from her previously startled state. "And, where are you that it sounds so windy..?" Welp. At least she wasn't using her telepathy to pry!

"Yes," a bit crisply, and for a moment, he halted. "Hold still, I'll find you." A murmur of spell, and some ten yards away, the elf walked from where he had been to there. He looked around to orient himself and then located Reiko and her car. He frowned faintly as he looked over her vehicle, then her, but as he came to the car, he gave her his familiar flicker of smile and dip of his head. "I am here. Why am I here?" a touch of humor to his voice, and his phone was indeed, still in his hand.

"Uh, okay." She wasn't exactly moving right now, so holding still was taken quite literally. When she looked to one side, there was Mist and the smile, and his phone still in his hand. She pushed a button with her left hand to roll down the window nearest Mist whilst using the other hand to end the call. "You make good timing. Wanna come with me to Azshara's memorial and pay our respects?" Reiko lifted the bouquet of flowers she had bought from the passenger's seat; it was gently moved to her lap. "I heard talk of a memorial being set up somewhere around here for the woman who was killed at the Inn last night and thought you might want to accompany me." Even though they had barely known Azshara, that is.

"If you like. I hadn't known anyone had been killed," he replied, brows lifting in surprise, looking to the flowers, and then with a shrug, simply stepping around to get into the car. It took a few moments, rearranging his cloak, though he seemed to be wearing a simple tunic and trousers underneath rather than his scrubs or robes. He offered to take back the flowers, of course. "I suppose I left too soon, I feel bad. I may have been able to save her."

The offer was noted and gratefully accepted. Reiko didn't want to accidentally squish them once she started to drive again, and she gingerly passed them over to Mist. "Thank you." With no more of a need for her phone for now, she pushed the lock button and shifted the car into drive before (slowly, at first) pulling back onto the road. As she increased the speed to a reasonable level before veering right at an upcoming fork, she said, "I got a polite earful from Sylva for quietly blaming myself because my shield didn't reach her in time. You couldn't have known that she would be turned on by that traitorous bastard, Sev. Who, by the way, also ended up dead not long after he killed the woman." Reiko omitted the part of her not taking the entire thing well at all, her health considering. Where there was Reiko and blood, there were unfortunate effects without her sunglasses on.

"Oh, dear. Well. I suppose they may deal with each other in their afterlifes, then." His brows knit. He glanced again at his phone, tapping a few times before he pushed it aside, returning it to its pouch. "It hasn't been so violent in quite a time. I hope that isn't the shape of days to come. It was quite busy last night, I really can't recall everyone."

Reiko stayed the course on the road to the right. If the description of where the other current memorial sites and makeshift graves were located was accurate enough, then they had to be just minutes away now. "Unusually busy for a Sunday night...and I didn't come out of hiding just to witness murders on my first full day back, either." She had promised Mist an explanation of everything that had happened during the past few months, and he would certainly get that explanation. For now though, a new-looking site ahead on the left caught her attention after she rounded a left corner. "That's gotta be it." Reiko pulled the car over again when she was close enough and shifted it into park, this time cutting the engine and turning her head to look. Sure enough, there was Azshara's name neatly engraved on a nice-looking stone. Someone had put flowers in a built-in vase, and there was a second built-in vase that remained empty. "We're here." This was simply, but quietly, spoken as Reiko opened the door and stepped out.

"I see," he replied, tilting his head and looking the site over before handing the flowers over to Reiko. He paused another few moments, busy with his phone once more, frowning at it, and then he exhaled and pulled to his feet. The name Azshara reminded him of an old friend, but that was, like much else in his life, entire ages away and ago. He simply trailed after Reiko, now and again taking keen looks around. "I don't understand how cheap a price some can put onto their lives. It makes no sense. But, I suppose different souls are trained to different realities." Somewhat pointed, probably a good opening towards 'where the hell have you been?', more or less.

The wrapped bouquet was accepted back with a grateful nod of appreciation. Slowly leading the way, her pace was calm and steady in the short walk to the newly-set memorial. "For some, they lack appreciation for their own life and with it, self-worth. For others, they are truly misguided. And for some, like myself, we need to fall many times before some kind of cord snaps within to truly wake us up."

Reiko ushered in her silence following the last of her words. She very carefully removed the wrapping from the bouquet and, using her telekinesis to hold the arrangement still, neatly folded the wrapping in her hands. The flowers, consisting of white lilies and pink tulips, were then lowered into the built-in vase which opposed the side where the other bouquet was. At last, the woman knelt on both knees in front of the site. Her left hand reached into her purse to produce a black-beaded bracelet, which she wove between her fingers. Her eyes shut as she spoke:

"Santario al Sanctus Fatum, eequiem æternam dona ei, Domine Et lux perpetua luceat ei: requiescat in pace. Amen."

It was the Prayer of Eternal Rest, spoken entirely in Latin. Reiko's eyes opened, and she returned her beaded bracelet to her purse before standing once more.

He had no idea what was said, but one recognized the sound of a prayer, of course. His head lowered, respectfully. A few words were spoken in Sindarin, though simple and lacking in flow and elegance: he didn't know any prayers or songs for such an occasion, and simply spoke the words 'regret' and 'empathy' and 'fair journey'. He took another look at his phone, and then stood quietly.

After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity to Reiko, she spoke up, facing forward. "It's the first I've ever cared this much to pay my respects to someone I only knew for a handful of hours, I know." There was a very quiet sigh as she paused. "In our brief conversation, I truly believe that - had her life been prolonged - she might have been one of the best of influences on me to try bettering myself. No more taking one step forward, only to fall ten steps backwards."

"How so?" he inquired, a lift of brow, a settle of his gaze over her, looking her over soberly before returning his line of sight to her eyes. "There are times when we may find a kindred soul in a passing face, but over time, I believe it less and less. And you always are seeking for that. You realize that?" He wasn't discouraging her from her search, simply calling attention to it.

Finally, the woman turned her head slightly to look at Mist. The one she considered a brother she'd otherwise never had, she's come to appreciate what he has to say to her. "Yes...I'm aware. It's one of the many things that Ryzlen brought to light during our time together." There was no sadness when speaking the name of her most recent ex-boyfriend. "To be more careful, to not trust a smiling face so easily...Azshara and Ilrazyr both seemed to want to legitimately help me through my small...episode. But, at the risk of rambling on, I know to not show my entire hand so soon after meeting someone. A smiling face doesn't always mean smiling intentions."

"You say that like you've practiced it." Finally, a laughing smile came to his rather distant demeanor, and he lifted a hand to doink Reiko on the nose. "You're already worthy of being who you are. You don't have to keep reinventing yourself until you find something better, because this is the you that is you. I've seen you pulling out your black leathers and laces, and rushing back to your nice linens and pretty soon, you've just got a lot of laundry to do." A quirk of brow and soft laughter. As it happened, they were no where near the docks, in fact, at a memorial in a park, so, all was well.

The brat, bonking her nose! She scrunched up some. "You just had to mention the leather and lace..." Reiko then covered her face with her hands, embarrassed. Granted, it was taken as a double meaning by Reiko. She shook her head before lowering her hands. "...as much as I enjoy certain habits, and they may just always be part of who I am...I've also always wanted to stop wandering to and from. Searching, only to throw a pity-party after some time. I'm better than that, Mist. I want to show that I'm better than that, without compromising my true nature."

"I know what you mean. But sometimes, you just have to either be patient, or just say to hell with it and work into what you want and need. I kept holding back and holding back, but...life doesn't work well that way. So. I said, I'm going back to school, I'm going to be the healer and nurse that I want to be for a village, I'm going to have a garden, and chickens, and even a car...and I did. Though believe me, the last time I had a lover, it was disastrous. So." He shrugged and fished for his phone once more. "But, now I have a daughter and family and a steady job, and almost everything I want. You aren't far from there, and it's entirely all right to wear your sleazy stuff. I wear mine around Beltane, after all." Humorous. He may not this year, however, as Amaris was definitely getting into her teens!

"......." Mist was right, as always. Man, if Reiko gave him a Noble for every time she thought he was right, then she would be helping him get rich (richer?). But, he had everything he wanted. Okay, so Mist had almost everything he wanted. But, did he have to mention lovers..? The woman, at a slight loss for words, folded her arms and turned her head away. A faint trace of pink found the bases of her cheeks as she muttered something nearly inaudible beneath her breath in response to the "disastrous lover" bit.

"For some reason, I tend to attract people who don't want me associating with my friends and family," he explained, taking her muttering as a question. Elf, ears. He was deeply chagrined, pressing fingertips to his brow. "I suddenly realized that he was terrifying Sylva for no other reason that she was there, as far as I could tell, and then terrorized Ed, and just...made it impossible for me to have them and him. I tried to say, it's his issue, he can work it out, but...Inevitably, it was my problem. I had to deal with it," he explained, a rather unattractive and rough redness coming to his cheeks. "Now I try to date women, and inevitably, they're spoken for. So." He shook his head and laughed, hands palms up.

Her head still turned away, she remained quiet. It was short-lived, as in she looked back to him when he spoke again. She was saddened for what she was hearing, those who were treated like dirt because of his last lover, and angry at what had happened, even though it had been long ago. Her eyes...they were tearing up. "Mist..." Reiko dared not say another word, not yet. She didn't want to start crying.

His head tilted. After a moment, he drew in a deep breath and reached over to gently cup her cheek. "Do you remember when I met you? You were just a child. A child who believed she was a giant, and not sure if that was a monster of destruction or an angel of salvation. Andu sheltered you far more than you knew. You never liked me, once you learned I was a mage." A soft chuckling as he watched her face. "And I would simply wait until you were too weak to stop me so I could heal you, when you refused to do as Andu asked." He fell quiet and shrugged slightly. "I am very beautiful. Handsome, if you like. I'm exotic, with lovely blond hair, and pretty eyes. I'm loyal, I'm faithful, I'm caring. Sometimes, I'm even wise and helpful. I'm good with kids. All that means is I'm a wonderful golden retriever." Plonk. He dropped that like a soggy pile of seaweed. "I can't give a passionate love. And that's not fair to anyone that is seeking that."

What was Mist doing? That was what Reiko would ask, if she wasn't quietly fighting her own emotions right now. Her own self of years ago...she had believed herself to be invincible, above consequence for her actions, even when she had clearly been in Trouble. Leaning into Mist's cupping of her cheek, Reiko was quiet still in raising her hand to gently cover his. She was still trying to not cave to the tears that threatened to pass the surfaces of her eyelids.

Her past self had cared none about each time that she would fall, paid zero attention to warning signs, and drank with reckless abandon. She really had come a long way, and now this conversation was happening. In front of a memorial site.

Should Reiko feel hurt? Maybe, or maybe not. In the last few months, in what she desired, every time she thought she was ready - something would transpire to prove otherwise. Right now...the hand that covered Mist's may have gripped it gently. "I..." finally came from her; her voice was thick with emotion. "...I don't know whether it's passionate that I seek anymore." Passion versus companionship, Reiko had to figure it out completely.

"I know you. Ever since you realized that you had feet on the ground, and you could look after yourself in all truth...more or less..." He had to add that because sometimes, her decisions were definitely screwy. "Ever since you've found your life, you've wanted everything you could possibly squeeze out of it." He gave a little chuckle and turned his wrist slightly. He pulled her into a warm hug, and swayed slightly side to side. His breathing was soft and even, though at one point, he did exhale softly, a gentle sigh. His heart was an even thump. Also probably random internal noises. "Rhy'din is a bad place to find a Happily Ever After, or even a reliable booty call, you know that. But you're always going to find new people and you'll have the fun of finding out if they're going your way, at least, for a while."

More or less, for sure. Being able to come out of hiding alone had to be one of the best things to happen to the Albino, who's been balancing the amount of time she spent in Rhy'din with the amount of time she spent on Terra. She hadn't been as serious about wanting the best out of life as she's been in the last few months. Squeeze everything out of it? Yes, yes she had been wanting to do that. And, most of the time, it had been more for the worse than it had been for the better.

The moment she was pulled into a hug was the very moment she ceased to be able to restrain those forming tears any longer. Her head resting against his chest whilst being swayed some, she mentally kicked herself for not being able to better dam those tears. "Damnit...damn..!" Reiko muttered. Her arms raised, her hands settling on his back gently.

"It's all right," he soothed, petting her hair once before simply looping arms around her. He was quiet for a long while, simply watching the encroach of night. Frowning faintly, some time later, he fished out his phone again and glanced at it. He tapped at it, seeming somewhat irritated. "Has Ben been back that you know of?" Pause. Well. Yes, yes, just remind her of a failed relationship. He wasn't a terribly good golden retriever sometimes. Bark.

Some things never changed. Reiko feeling embarrassed about crying in front of anyone was one of those unchanged things, and it might always be one of those things that would never change. In answer to Mist's question, the Albino quietly shook her head no. "If he has been...then I wouldn't know," she admitted. They weren't each other's keepers, after all. "That's something you should ask Amaris...I was never his actual lover, or anything."

"I'm trying to, but she's not answering her texts," he replied with a frown, loosing her to take her hand. "Come on. Let's go see if he's at his cabin. Sometimes she goes there just to go there." Then he chuckled faintly. "I'm actually surprised he was as open with you as he was. He...does not seem to be the sort that dates at all. He has a lot of...history." And, that caused him to stiffen slightly. He about yanked Reiko off of her feet and started off walking, fast and yes, once he got to it, on top of the snow. It was fine until he stopped abruptly and let Reiko sink a few feet into the snowbank.

What? Suddenly, the woman found herself being taken by her hand before she could begin to dry her tears. Ah, yes. Ben's history. Reiko had learnt a thing or two about that, surprisingly from Ben himself, but that rushed away from the front of her mind as she was pulled along by Mist. "Wah! Mist!!!" And, now she was falling into the deep snow. Ack! "Mist, what is going on?" Reiko asked as she tried to use her telekinesis to raise herself up out of the snowbank.

"Tschhh." He made a cat sound and moved to fish her out of the snow, but she rose out of it on her own. Well enough. He snatched her around the waist and continued on, determined as a bull, his features eerily calm. The moment they arrived at the cabin, he set Reiko down, and pressed his hands to his upper chest. A moment later, he lifted them, reciting off a short spell. A shimmer of pale green rang off of the wards, various footprints shimmered into sight, some faint, some fresher, but none truly bright or new. He exhaled and shook the enchantment to end. "Sorry about that. I know she's okay. I can always feel her in my heart. But...I don't know where she is, and she's not answering her texts. She wasn't home last night."

Okay. She was going to shut up for now. That was coming easy to her since he wasn't exactly answering her, not right away anyways. More, any surprise at how often Mist was either touching her or picking her up and carrying her wasn't quick to come to her yet. When Mist finally answered her query of what was going on came an initial sigh of relief, and the surprise finally came to her. Oh, Reiko...never mind that right now! Amaris, remember? After standing there and watching Mist work his magic, she blinked. "So, you know she's okay, but you don't know where she is and she hasn't contacted you back yet. When was the last time you saw or heard from her?"

He exhaled and put his hand to his head. "The pancakes. Friday, I think. I get confused about the dates. We had pancakes, we returned the squid to its native waters... she said she was going to practice dance, and I went to bed." He exhaled again, staring at his phone. Sadly, Mist really hadn't totally learned that it wasn't exactly polite to simply grab and drag people to where he wanted them to be, though he was trying! He only lugged around Amaris when she asked to be carried or was sleeping. Besides, expedience was expedience.

Oh, Reiko didn't mind Mist dragging her around like he had. It was his dropping her into a snowbank that had had the Look sent his way prior to her lifting herself out. But, it was back to Amaris. "She must have left to practise dance when you went to bed, then..." But, Friday was days ago. Amaris would never practise dance for that long without checking in with anyone. Even Reiko knew that.

In a slightly un-Reiko manner, the Albino gently placed her hands on his shoulders – or, she tried to, anyways, in a reassuring manner – but she was far shorter than he was! "We'll find her, Mist...you know that she's okay. That's something." By now, she's since stopped crying. Now she wanted to know where Amaris was as well.

"I know. I'm just paranoid," he decided, and smiled to her, doinking her nose again, more to reassure her than himself. "I think I'm going to head back homewards, and hit her usual places. She has an odd friend too, who likes to get her to play in the woods, and sometimes, Bluebell wanders off and Amaris follows her." He hesitated, realizing he'd shang hied Reiko and now she was a good distance from her car. "So, I'll walk you back to your car..." he added with a self conscious laugh.

Her nose...that was the second time he's done that tonight. With a pout, Reiko decided to return the "favour" with a gentle bonk of her own. Retracing the steps and going to her usual places. "Sounds like a plan...and Mist?" She moved her hands away from his shoulders. "I'm willing to help."

He dipped his head, and chuckled to the boink. "I should hope so," he informed her, droll. Then offered his hand once more as he started to walk. "...If she doesn't turn up by morning, I'll start asking and texting people. She's gone off with Maggie and Des for adventures before, and...well, usually they end up at Collie's trying to make sure they're all telling the same story." He rambled on, rattling off every time he could remember where she'd wandered off without telling him, but truthfully, those times were few. "...there was that kid and his bear. Maybe she found him again. Ugh. She makes everyone she knows into family." Dryly amused.

His offered hand was accepted, Reiko's white-as-snow hand taking hold of Mist's as they walked. Her hand looked so small in comparison to his! "If this is her idea of playing hide and seek with the dancing included, then she's taken it to a whole new level..." Reiko contributed. She looked up to the elf as they walked. "...I once found her dancing in a field not too far from Ben's cabin last autumn, and I wasn't even looking for her at the time. Another day, she had shifted into a wolf and almost literally ran into me on one of the paths during my jog." Reiko quietly chuckled.

He laughed softly. "Little devil." Then, clearly he'd made the decision to keep positive, so his smile flickered easily. And, off they went. He'll get Reiko back to her car, and he can either join her driving around or she can follow him walking around.

Soon back at her car, the invitation was extended for Mist to join her in driving around. Reiko didn't want to end up sinking in another snowbank! Just before she said anything more, however, she stood on her tiptoes. No, that wouldn't do...she used her telekinesis to lift herself some. To very gently land the softest of kisses on Mist's lips before lowering herself back down on the ground...leaving it to him whether he wanted to sit in a warm car or walk.

He sputtered a laugh, but did return the kiss. "Go drive," he ordered, amused, and got into the car. Even he gets tired.