Previous Reply / @rei-sekiro

Valen raised a brow at Valen’s words. As if Valen hadn’t already killed people. Granted not at such close range before. Sometimes killing was necessary. It didn’t bother him to kill bad people. Waving a hand at the words. “I wouldn’t be concerned about the killing, my friend. If someone is trying to kill me they are likely not a very good person anyways. I am sure over time I will have my share of enemies for being a bounty hunter. I have no qualms taking the life of bad people.”

A merry laugh at Rei’s confusion over bards. “Well… For me I guess you could say it is a sudden urge. It runs in my blood. My father was a well traveled minstrel as well.” But his words died as Rei made the comment. Eyes slightly widening. Was that a joking jab at his own earlier charming jests…

“Well now. You are proving to be quite interesting indeed.” Rubbing his chin as he grinned. “Not much further.” Gesturing towards the Inn counter. “I shall step inside to grab my harp and then lead us down to the bar by the airship. Drinks and music await.” A light laugh as he swept into a playful bow. “Just wait here with Rei, Lily. A little assurance that I will return swiftly.” The little magpie flying off Valen’s shoulder and landing on top of Rei’s head.

Valen wasn’t long at all. Stepping into his room long enough to grab his harp and returning within a few minutes. Lily chirping happily at his return from her perch on Rei’s head. Now all set, Valen lead them to the lift and down to the bar he spoke of. It was quiet as it often was. Just a couple of patrons at one of the two tables. No one seated at the bar. Valen gestured for Rei to take his pick of where to sit. The bar or the table.

rei-sekiro:

Oh, Ul’dah. It was a city horrible for business, but great for Rei indulging himself in his ever worsening hoarding habits. The sun was low in the sky at this point as the seeker had garnered quite the collection of new wares for himself to take home to Hingashi. He held on to only a handful of those items as he had the rest sent ahead to the airship dock to be loaded on to his transport home. It was a good haul, though to the passerby, he would’ve looked like a very rich man who had just spent an eccentric amount of gil on loads and loads of garbage. A very confusing disconnected from how elegantly he presented himself.

While in Thanalan, Rei always opted for lighter clothes than his usual silks. A sheer scar over his shoulders, much like a shall, did little to hide his exposed arms and shoulders, his tattoos a walking gallery of birds and flowers.  The shirt under that was sleeveless in an attempt to keep himself cool, though he could feel the sun burning the skin on his arms. Good thing the sun was setting, no more sun burn or stupid heat to contend with. But in the dessert, as the sun sets, the cold sets in too and Rei was intent on getting inside quickly. His airship wouldn’t leave until the next morning, so heading back to the quicksand wasn’t the worst of plans.

He turned back out of the markets and into the back alley that connected the rich with the poor. He was used to street thugs, living in a household now that was essentially all street thugs. With his hair tied in a loose bun above his neck, it didn’t really surprise him that a drunk man or two called out to him. Or maybe they didn’t care? Either way, Rei kept his eyes forward as he walked, his arms loose at his side. He was oddly relaxed despite the odd sense of tension in the air.

There was a loud thud in a small alley off to the side and Rei turned around to meet the sound. “Don’t go over there…” he commanded himself, his ears flicking as curiosity got the better of him. He didn’t move initially as the sounds of a struggle seemed to grow more frequent. His tail swished excitedly behind him. For all his dark deeds, Rei did consider himself a hero and what a better way to act that part then to go over and intervene. He placed his small bag of junk on the ground, knowing that when he got back, it would probably be gone.

Picking a knife out of his boot, Rei turned around to run into the alley to spot three refugees ganging up on a tall man. Most likely Elezen from the looks of it. Not many were that tall and of that build. He maneuvered himself into the middle of the group. He was much smaller than the Elezen, but he would have the presence of someone whose hands were drenched in blood. His gaze was narrowed with a killer’s instinct, his teeth barred angrily. “Leave, now,” he demanded.

But without giving one of the refugees so much as the chance to back away, Rei swung his dagger upward into a highlander’s face, cutting the man’s cheek open and cutting off some of his nose. Blood poured down the attacker’s face as shock settled in. “Stand down, or I will cut you down,” He said that too late for one man, it seemed. Was this miqo’te really a hero stepping in to help someone?

Valen laughed warmly when Rei admitted the compliments weren’t working. Something Valen was noticing without the admission but it was still amusing. Finally finding someone his charm didn’t work with. Of course laughing only made his ribs ache. Which in turn made him groan softly as he put his hand over the spot. He’d have to remember to call Rinoa or Virae later to look at it. For now he owed his ‘savior’ for the lost trinkets.

He was finding Rei to actually be a bit amusing and strange. Strange as in the way he made it sound like nothing to hurt Valen or keep him hostage. Making him wonder if that was something normal to just Rei or to the people where the man came from.

“I did not intend to offer you music here anyways. I left my harp back where I am staying. Not something I like to idly carry for fear of harming such a wonderful instrument of course. There is a nice quiet little bar just off the airship dock. I could grab my harp and meet you there. Unless you don’t trust me being as we just met. It is a little strange after all to just invite you to my room to play for you unless you really want a private performance. Not that I have any intentions of making unwanted advances despite your good looks and the amazing tattoo art on your skin. You’d likely just stick me with a knife if I tried.” Valen was smiling as he spoke honestly. There was no real point in lying right now. If he mad the man angry, he was just as likely to get sliced and diced for lying. “I leave the choice up to you of course.”

Turning towards the path back to the Quicksands since his harp was left in his room. A look back towards Rei. “Just do me a favor and don’t damage my hands if I do something to spark your anger. Pain I can live with. Music I can not.” Not quite sure why he admitted that to Rei. Maybe in an attempt to appeal to Rei’s better side. Valen wasn’t able to decide the reasoning. But he knew the threats weren’t just threats. They were promises of violence.

rei-sekiro:

Oh, Ul’dah. It was a city horrible for business, but great for Rei indulging himself in his ever worsening hoarding habits. The sun was low in the sky at this point as the seeker had garnered quite the collection of new wares for himself to take home to Hingashi. He held on to only a handful of those items as he had the rest sent ahead to the airship dock to be loaded on to his transport home. It was a good haul, though to the passerby, he would’ve looked like a very rich man who had just spent an eccentric amount of gil on loads and loads of garbage. A very confusing disconnected from how elegantly he presented himself.

While in Thanalan, Rei always opted for lighter clothes than his usual silks. A sheer scar over his shoulders, much like a shall, did little to hide his exposed arms and shoulders, his tattoos a walking gallery of birds and flowers.  The shirt under that was sleeveless in an attempt to keep himself cool, though he could feel the sun burning the skin on his arms. Good thing the sun was setting, no more sun burn or stupid heat to contend with. But in the dessert, as the sun sets, the cold sets in too and Rei was intent on getting inside quickly. His airship wouldn’t leave until the next morning, so heading back to the quicksand wasn’t the worst of plans.

He turned back out of the markets and into the back alley that connected the rich with the poor. He was used to street thugs, living in a household now that was essentially all street thugs. With his hair tied in a loose bun above his neck, it didn’t really surprise him that a drunk man or two called out to him. Or maybe they didn’t care? Either way, Rei kept his eyes forward as he walked, his arms loose at his side. He was oddly relaxed despite the odd sense of tension in the air.

There was a loud thud in a small alley off to the side and Rei turned around to meet the sound. “Don’t go over there…” he commanded himself, his ears flicking as curiosity got the better of him. He didn’t move initially as the sounds of a struggle seemed to grow more frequent. His tail swished excitedly behind him. For all his dark deeds, Rei did consider himself a hero and what a better way to act that part then to go over and intervene. He placed his small bag of junk on the ground, knowing that when he got back, it would probably be gone.

Picking a knife out of his boot, Rei turned around to run into the alley to spot three refugees ganging up on a tall man. Most likely Elezen from the looks of it. Not many were that tall and of that build. He maneuvered himself into the middle of the group. He was much smaller than the Elezen, but he would have the presence of someone whose hands were drenched in blood. His gaze was narrowed with a killer’s instinct, his teeth barred angrily. “Leave, now,” he demanded.

But without giving one of the refugees so much as the chance to back away, Rei swung his dagger upward into a highlander’s face, cutting the man’s cheek open and cutting off some of his nose. Blood poured down the attacker’s face as shock settled in. “Stand down, or I will cut you down,” He said that too late for one man, it seemed. Was this miqo’te really a hero stepping in to help someone?

Valen sucked in a sharp breath at Rei’s poking around his ribs. Less amused now then he had been before but not quite yet angry. After all, remaining calm was something he was good at. Even when someone was mocking him subtly. Tucking the offered knife into his boot just to keep himself from further physical harm since he had a feeling it wasn’t a joke. Not if he went by Rei’s body language. He wasn’t quite as easy to kill as Rei said. Yet he also wasn’t one who was used to physical fights. Most of his body was rather lithe and the muscles were in his arms and shoulders from using his longbow.

There was something foreign yet not about Rei. The word kami was definitely one indicator that the man was not local. Plus the mention of souvenirs. A look towards where had mentioned leaving his bag of trinkets. A shame really, no matter what the items had been. Trinkets or not. Valen lightly scratched his heart tattooed cheek.Trying to put everything he knew together.

“I apologize for the loss of your possessions. I would have likely ended up beaten bloody and left without gil of course without your intervention. Though do not entirely discount me on one poor choice. I can make many shots that are difficult for the average bowmen. I realize that does not help me here but I have not been long around Ul’dah but a few suns. I come from the Twelveswood. The Shroud to most not born there.” Once more giving the charming boyish smile he was so good at. Attempting to ease any tension. “I may not be wealthy but allow me to help replace what I can of your souvenirs. Or maybe offer you some help or entertainment. I shall leave the choice to you, the dashing young man who rescued me.”

It was was worth a shot anyways.

rei-sekiro:

rei-sekiro:

Oh, Ul’dah. It was a city horrible for business, but great for Rei indulging himself in his ever worsening hoarding habits. The sun was low in the sky at this point as the seeker had garnered quite the collection of new wares for himself to take home to Hingashi. He held on to only a handful of those items as he had the rest sent ahead to the airship dock to be loaded on to his transport home. It was a good haul, though to the passerby, he would’ve looked like a very rich man who had just spent an eccentric amount of gil on loads and loads of garbage. A very confusing disconnected from how elegantly he presented himself.

While in Thanalan, Rei always opted for lighter clothes than his usual silks. A sheer scar over his shoulders, much like a shall, did little to hide his exposed arms and shoulders, his tattoos a walking gallery of birds and flowers.  The shirt under that was sleeveless in an attempt to keep himself cool, though he could feel the sun burning the skin on his arms. Good thing the sun was setting, no more sun burn or stupid heat to contend with. But in the dessert, as the sun sets, the cold sets in too and Rei was intent on getting inside quickly. His airship wouldn’t leave until the next morning, so heading back to the quicksand wasn’t the worst of plans.

He turned back out of the markets and into the back alley that connected the rich with the poor. He was used to street thugs, living in a household now that was essentially all street thugs. With his hair tied in a loose bun above his neck, it didn’t really surprise him that a drunk man or two called out to him. Or maybe they didn’t care? Either way, Rei kept his eyes forward as he walked, his arms loose at his side. He was oddly relaxed despite the odd sense of tension in the air.

There was a loud thud in a small alley off to the side and Rei turned around to meet the sound. “Don’t go over there…” he commanded himself, his ears flicking as curiosity got the better of him. He didn’t move initially as the sounds of a struggle seemed to grow more frequent. His tail swished excitedly behind him. For all his dark deeds, Rei did consider himself a hero and what a better way to act that part then to go over and intervene. He placed his small bag of junk on the ground, knowing that when he got back, it would probably be gone.

Picking a knife out of his boot, Rei turned around to run into the alley to spot three refugees ganging up on a tall man. Most likely Elezen from the looks of it. Not many were that tall and of that build. He maneuvered himself into the middle of the group. He was much smaller than the Elezen, but he would have the presence of someone whose hands were drenched in blood. His gaze was narrowed with a killer’s instinct, his teeth barred angrily. “Leave, now,” he demanded.

But without giving one of the refugees so much as the chance to back away, Rei swung his dagger upward into a highlander’s face, cutting the man’s cheek open and cutting off some of his nose. Blood poured down the attacker’s face as shock settled in. “Stand down, or I will cut you down,” He said that too late for one man, it seemed. Was this miqo’te really a hero stepping in to help someone?

Previous Post / @nebula1984 [Cut post for thread length]

Rei glanced over his shoulder as the Elezen behind him so rudely thanked his deity instead of him for saving his life. His ears flicked, slight irate, as he stared up at the man. Rei hadn’t realized how tall the Elezen was until that moment. But he wasn’t going to relax quite yet. Not until the armed thugs decided they’d had enough. “One, two…” he began to count under his breath. But he soon found them fleeing, rather than engaging the two of them. 

The seeker turned around, nearly whipping the Elezen with his hair as he did so, “There is no deity on this plane who is going out of their way to save you. I just happened to be passing by this mess…” he gestured to the blood splattered on the pavement with his blood soaked dagger. He lifted the blade a bit closer to his face to get a better look at it and then idly began flinging the blood off of it in a sharp flicking motion of his wrist. 

He turned back to face the Elezen again, lowering the dagger so it was in a non-threatening position, “Damsel?” he repeated the word, tilting his head slightly, a loose lock of hair slipping from his shoulder. He seemed genuinely confused by that notion, “I don’t care if you’re a man or woman. Scum like that needs to be eradicated,” he glared back at the blood stains on the pavement from the man he had landed his warning shot on. “I’m glad you have the decency to also thank me instead of that Osch…whoever,” he shook his head.

He a came even closer to the man, his feet light on the pavement, almost silent, as he began to examine the man more closely, standing on his toes even to check his wounds, “Did they break your skin?” he asked, reaching out with his free hand to try and take hold of the arm the Elezen had over his own torso to check the wound, “I am not a healer, but I can bring you to one,” he frowned, looking up at the man through his long eyelashes,.

“What did you think you were doing? wandering around out here with nothing but a rusty old meat knife,” he chided and held out his own dagger, “It’s dirty, but at least carry this. I can always get another.” His dagger was of shinobi make. But the man himself was not a shinobi. He held out the knife handle first to the minstrel to take.

Valen would have taken a surprised step back if he wasn’t already leaning against the wall. Quite surprised by the man’s attitude. Plus the fact that his usual charm seemed to have no effect. “Well… Not an easy customer this one.” The words were muttered mostly to himself as he maintained that earlier smile.

“Oschon the Wanderer. He is one of the Twelve gods of Eorzea. The deity that watches over those of us that wander the world.” Moving his arm aside to show there were no open wounds. Maybe a cracked rib but that wasn’t visible to the eye. “I shall be alright. I will contact a healer friend later. The busted lip. Maybe a cracked rib. This is minor compared to the damage I took from a failed hunt a moon ago.”

Valen took a long moment looking at the dagger. As if deciding whether he wanted to accept such a gift. Conflicted but slowly he reached to take it. “I am afraid I might dishonor such a fine gift. My skills are with the strings rather then a blade. Not that my bow would have been much help in this situation. I am a hunter of distance. A player of songs. I never thought to need such a skill before. Nor was it my intention to wander down the wrong road. I was merely rehearsing my music in my head.”

Seeing as the situation seemed safe, the little doman magpie finally flew down from the roof. Landing lighting on Valen’s shoulder and chirping at him. The young man giving a laugh which caused him to wince. Reaching up to gently rub Lily’s belly. “How rude of me. I am Valentin and this is my companion, Lily. But you may call me Valen. Might I ask the name of my savior?”