Honoring the promise (Rista)

[Kikue]

The Avora let out a sigh of defeat. She hadn't expected this to happen at all when she went to the gates. She had heard the Yasi talk again and couldn't really find any reason now to leave anymore. Maybe staying wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Perhaps there was something else besides hunting that she could do. She did enjoy trying to teach Rista how to wield a Talon sword, so perhaps that? Well that was of later concern. Right now she just had to focus on getting that ankle healed up. "Well, maybe you're right. Perhaps I should stay a little longer. It's not like the outside world is going to go away in a night.", Kikue started her reply. Then, after turning to the mongrel, she continued: "About what I'm going to do now, I don't know yet. But I think I should start looking for something besides hunting to do. I won't leave any time soon now, not with this ankle." Her face clearing up after she had decided to look for something else, she pushed herself up, leaning on her good foot. "Yeah, we should. It's not that I'll be using it much, but it can't hurt to have one now. I'll put off my plans for leaving for a while now. I first want to take a good look around here and not stare off into the forests. I think that that's what I did wrong when I was a Yasi. I was just too focussed on wanting to explore that I lost sight of what Wind Reach is to me.", she said with a smile, while she kept herself balanced by grabbing onto the side of the bed. "Oh, by the way, about me sleeping at your place.... I can sleep on the floor, I just need to get my stuff from the gates...... which might be a slight problem.", she scratched herself behind her head and laughed a little half-hearted at that last part. She just hoped that the Yasi wouldn't object to that plan. That way she didn't have to impose as much on her, all she needed was a small niche to sleep or rest. For the rest she would just practice her Talon. She had to sit for that ofcourse, but at least she could practice some of the swings she knew that way.

[Rista]

What was it about this woman that first made her guilty only to suddenly battle a need to hit her in the face? The feeling she got as she looked at the woman before her was so new that Rista barely had a word for it. It was similar to seeing a decaying carcass crawling with maggots and flies, smelling an unwashed dek or listening to humbug stories of Endal not doing their job. Distasteful. It felt so wrong to have such a feeling when looking on an Avora, and a hunter too at that. Just as wrong as the disappointment from a few chimes ago, or the feeling of betrayal. It was wrong. When a yasi could intimidate a grown woman of high rank enough to almost make her cry, to turn tails and run rather than stand and defend herself - and in the presence of her peers too - and when a person of such a high rank, such status seemed to plead a yasi to say what she should do, something just wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, and the clear break from tradition stumped Rista more than she even realized. Frustration boiled within her as she stared at the red-haired woman, emotions appearing, rearranging and disappearing over her face like bubbles of water rising from some great depths. If it had been a yasi she would have been given a fist on the nose by now. Even a Chiet might have been told exactly what Rista thought about them, thoroughly and clearly. But Kikue was Avora. Not even Rista's blatant lack of tact and restraint of tongue could get over that knowledge so easily, it was a fact so ingrained into her that their brief bantering and the ease with which they were talking didn't matter. Avora were respect, breaking that rule meant trouble, trouble had to be avoided. So how was she supposed to act when the Avora didn't follow the rules either? The girl didn't reply for a long time. Thoughts rolled through her mind like stormy clouds over the sky, slowly adding to the tension of a prolonged silence. When she eventually moved, it was only to slowly raise a hand towards her hair, fingers brushing over the many braids in a tightly controlled motion. Her jaws worked beneath the flesh as teeth ground against each other, a visible effort to calm herself down or withhold some highly inappropriate action. She took a deep breath, black eyes suddenly meeting the hunters gaze head on, direct and unapologizing. "If you want to sleep in my room that badly then go ahead, it's your right. If you're willing to let a yasi call the shots for you, then sure, I can be your mother and hold your hand. But if you at the same time want me to respect you at all, then you need to stop your puppy-eye whimpering!" A faint grimace passed over her face as the small amount of self control began to slip, but it didn't stop the flow of words that escaped her lips, unasked for and brutally honest. "Are you Avora or are you a Dek, Kikue? I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I know drudges with more backbone than you. I don't know what your problem is and I don't know if I care about it, but you seem to think that you're alone and all on your own with no one to turn to. Well, sorry to break the news to you. You're not the only one. You think you've had it rough, that no one tries to talk to you or sooth your little lonely feelings. And you're right. Because you aren't making yourself deserving of this. How can you expect anyone to give you credit or acknowledge you when you don't do it yourself?" "Do you know how many that would kill to get into your shoes?" The hands of the girl reached out to shove at Kikue, intending to make her sit down again to listen. Rista was fuming by now, anger coloring her cheeks red and lending a vibrant intensity to her features, eye-catching and intense. "Hundreds. Maybe thousands. How many Dek are there in this city, how many Chiet? How many yasi, how many do you think would hesitate for a second to accept what you have? You get food on your plate whenever you want, you have a good and respectable talent that you honor yourself with by feeding the rest of us. You have everything, but just because you're a little lonely you prepare to leave, blaming your unnecessary feelings on the rest of us. And when all of a sudden someone comes along and speaks to you, you change your mind. Then you wish to stay, blaming your new reason on the one that spoke to you for a bit. What will you do if you loose that connection, Kikue? Will you turn tails and run again? Do you expect me to trust such a weak person, or even like you? Get a grip, woman!" She all but shouted the words at the other, emotions surging within at a strength that made even Rista surprised. The day had been long, she was tired and had been exposed to many testing revelations but even that wasn't good enough of an explanation to why she reacted so strongly to the faint-hearted display the woman set up. Somewhere at the back of her mind a small voice babbled almost hysterically on and on about how much trouble she was getting herself into right now, by scolding, no shouting at the Avora, how bad of an idea it was and how she should just leave, turn around and run before hell broke loose... And then there was the other voice, that silently egged the woman on, hoping for a reaction that didn't involve tears or stammering or avoiding, hopeful glances. If the woman only could show some spine...

[Kikue]

The Avora let the Yasi rage against her the whole time. She knew herself that she was a bit too insecure, her opinion changed too easily. Most of the things the Yasi said were true, but one thing she couldn't let go by. And that was being made out for a Dek. She brought in her quotum of meat weekly, even when the hunt went bad. She never once failed to get to it. The face of Kikue started to contort a little, her anger slowly creeping over her face as she closed her eyes. She had been called many names before, but a DEK!? No one called her a Dek. Not a single person would even think about it. This was the first time she had been called that and she'd make sure that it would be the last time as well. "Who did you call a Dek?", the woman's voice seething with anger, "I bring in your food. I never miss my quota, not once. And you dare call me that? Who do you think you are, YASI! I've never, EVER, been called that and you have the guts to call me that?". The words just flew out of her mouth, not keeping any consideration of other people there might be around. "When I changed my opinion, it was because of you. You showed me that being an instructor was extremely satisfying. THAT was what I meant that it was because of you. Nothing else, nothing more. And did I ask you to be my mother? NO, so either you shut your trap about that or I will make sure that you'll think at least TWICE before saying that to my face again." "I know I'm insecure, childish and whatever else. That's not gonna change, but don't you dare to say something like that again. I'm aware of every single fault of mine, so much even that I think that even though I do my job, I'm nothing more then a burden here. You get it now!?", the Avora razed on, laying every fault of herself bare. "I never asked for your respect or trust. All I wanted was to have at least a friend. It's petching hard when you're gone almost every day of the week to reach your quota."

[Rista]

Rista stood her ground, hands planted firmly onto her hips as Kikue flared up and snapped back at her. A part of the girl wanted to jump and cheer at the success of bringing the woman out of her own self pity, but while it seemed to have work halfway, there were still things that annoyed her about the reply she was given. "So you're not a dek? Good, splendid, I'm glad that you also realize it!" she retorted, not backing down the slightest even when faced with the half-spoken threats the huntress came with. "Because I was beginning to think that you didn't even know it yourself. Let me tell you what I find annoying about you, Avora. You don't act your part. You claim to be of a high caste but instead of claiming your rights for what they are, you shrink back and let others take command. You ask me of things when you don't have to, you frown upon hearing someone address you with your caste, you look like you are going to crack as soon as someone speaks against you. What the petch is wrong with you? Step up, please, and behave like a normal Avora! I don't know how I'm supposed to act if I'm to watch my mouth and speak freely at the same time, because you don't ever show me the boundaries. How am I supposed to be your friend if I don't respect you, if you never give me reason to trust you? Nothing comes without a price, Avora, ever." Rista grew silent, panting as she stood before the woman. She was running out of things to say, with only frustration and annoyance left behind to gnaw at her. This was quickly reaching a point where they would either have to move apart or exchange blows, and with Kikue's ankle as it was the mongrel wasn't inclined to fight. She stared at the red-head for a moment, then took a deep breath and blew it out in a heavy sigh, feet carrying her backwards and away from the other. Better keep her distance, it would be a bad idea to lash out at the other. "Just act your part, and I'll act mine. If you want a room then go to the Valintar, Avora, and get one that suits your status. Tell some dek to fetch your things, there's no reason for you to carry them when others are more suitable to do it. I'm sorry, but I can't just step up and claim to be your friend out of the blue, when I don't know first thing about you except that you have a weak mind and are easily swayed. I can't and wont try to pretend just to soothe your feelings. Do what the petch you want, I don't care." She flung her arms out in a discarding gesture and turned around on her heels, the back stiff from seething emotions as she began to walk towards the door. There was no way that Rista would stand there and pretend to be someone she wasn't just to make the other feel better. Unless the huntress made herself deserving of respect she wouldn't get it, she had caused this upon herself by not acting like she should. Somehow the girl felt that her reasoning had grown weak, but she wasn't in a state of mind where she cared about being childish or not. She was a child after all, still a yasi and definitely not someone that should have to explain the rules to an adult.

[Kikue]

So she had to act like an Avora? Well, there was one way she could use her status, but that didn't mean she liked it. If there was one thing she hated, it was forcing others. But apparently this Yasi preferred it if she did. Getting a room now would require her to walk the way to the Valintar, which could prove to be a problem, but it did serve as a way to let use her status. "So you want me to use my status, right? Well then....", she started as Rista turned around. Her voice was cold and void of any warm feelings. It sounded as if Kikue had turned into a completely different person. "Yasi, I order you to help me get to the Valintar, after that I want you to go and get my stuff from the stables. The Dek know where it is." The Avora didn't stop there and locked her eyes onto the back of the small Yasi. "Besides that, I expect you to turn up for every training session in the Talon. I'll make sure that you'll wish you wouldn't have pushed me this far." The Avora had already planned to get their tutor to work them both to the bone, as there was no better feeling to do just that. Or at least that was what she thought. But first, she had to heal her ankle and that was going to be a big pain in the butt.

[Rista]

The girl spun around once more and stared at the woman on the other side of the room as if she didn't believe what she had heard. Emotions danced over her face, as readable and transparent as a bead of glass. Surprise that it had worked, irritation over having to linger in the presence of the Avora, anger over how far she had to push it to make this happen... and contentment, since Kikue finally was acting in a way that Rista could understand. "Yes Avora, right away" she said automatically, with no trace of the obstinacy or scorn that had been in her voice a moment ago. It was as if someone had turned a page in a book, the yasi showed no signs of anything but obedience as she walked back across the floor and held out her arm, offering support to the injured hunter. This was better, much better. Why had it been so difficult for Kikue to understand that the time for casual talk and firmness couldn't happen at the same time? It was much easier to handle the kind of people that wore their authority like a second skin - like Sairque, or Fois, even Eoin seemed to know when it was time to get formal in order to avoid situations like these. Aiding Kikue the girl began to walk, making sure to keep her thoughts to herself as she led the other out from the infirmary and through the warrens, with the goal set for the Valintar's office. Had the woman expected Rista to object or complain about the chores she had been set on she would be disappointed; not an unnecessary word was uttered on the way, not until they arrived to the location and Rista could ease away from the other, leaving her in front of the door. "Where would you like your possessions to be taken, Kikue Avora?" she asked shortly, the face blank as she looked back at the other. This was better, right? No need for complicated things like feelings if everyone just followed the unwritten rules and acted their part. Rista didn't have time for feelings, she couldn't let them rule her more than they already did.

[Kikue]

The avora grimaced as the mongrel called her by her title. It still felt completely wrong and not to say uncomfortable to be called that. In her opinion she still didn't deserve that title. All she did was bring in the meat. What's so special about that? Anyone could lay a trap if they'd tried to. Heck, even if they'd practice a little with the bow, they could shoot their prey. Taking the arm of the Yasi, Kikue lifted herself up. "To my room once I get appointed one. After that, you can go back to your duties. I don't want others to get mad at you for listening to my orders.", she said. What she said was completely true. She had always hated getting others into trouble over the mess she had caused. Even if it meant that she'd get a beating. She wore her annoyance on her face as if it were natural. Right now, just from being with her, a headache started to form. It was something that Kikue always got if she felt uncomfortable and well, now was such a time. "One more thing, if you got appointments with anything besides Avora and Endal outstanding for the coming time, you'll have to cancel them. We'll be training each bit of spare time you have, you understand?", after saying that, the Avora turned around, letting out a sigh as she pushed the door open, entering right after.

[Rista]

Rista kept her neutral face up as long as Kikue was looking at her, nodded and agreed like a good yasi at the orders she had been given. As soon as the door closed behind the back of the woman though, her expression dropped and a tired look took over the features. She rubbed her eyes sorely and sighed, shoulders shifting as she tried to work away the stiffness that had settled within the muscles. So much for that. Had she made a friend or lost one? Had she saved someone from herself, or created a monster? The girl had no idea, and she wasn't about to stick around to find out. Giving the closed door a final glare as if she could see the Avora through the decorated wooden barrier she turned and began to walk again, steering her steps towards the Gate. She would do as she was told, alright. Fetching the things, finding out where the woman had been assigned to live, those were easy things to accomplish and wouldn't take too long time. Even less if she placed a Dek to do it; she would need one to carry all the belongings into the Reach anyway. The last words however, the promise of not getting any free time at all during the coming days... That was enough to make the mongrel mutter and snarl to herself, her feet smattering rapidly against the stone floors as she hurried along. Why did she have a feeling that she would regret this? It would be fun learning to handle the Talon, it would. She really hoped it would be, and that Kikue would snap out of it and behave like a normal person after this... Miracles could happen, surely.

[Indigo]

Character: Kikue Skills: +1 Introspection, +2 Gossiping, +5 Individualism, Lore: Mooching off of a Yasi, Treating a Yasi like an adult, Idle gossip, Ignorance of your own Caste, Wind Reach faux pas, Allowing a child to boss you, Learning how to be an adult from a Yasi, Wasting a Yasi's time Character: Rista Skills: +2 Intimidation, +5 Leadership, +1 Manners, +1 Logic, +1 Intelligence, Lore: Fighting your hunger, Having priorities, Awkward conversations, Maturity beyond your years, Knowing your proper Caste, Taking on Leadership, Teaching an Avora how to be an adult, Forcing the adult to act like one, Notes: Kikue, I highly recommend that you read several other Inartan's threads so you can properly learn caste assigned behavior within Wind Reach. Rista, well handled, well written and true to character. If you have any questions or comments about your grade, please don't hesitate to PM me.