13163/Home Is Where The Heart Is

Home Is Where The Heart Is
Date of Scene:	01 May 2021
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Diana comes to Xiang's rescue, and brings him to the embassy.
Cast of Characters:	Xiang Zhao, Wonder Woman, Twitch

---

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Home. As the saying goes, it's where the heart is. And were Xiang Zhao currently is... is not home. Will likely never be home again. Perhaps that's why he'd been fine with living in an abandoned warehouse. The talisman is sent off, turning to ash and blowing away into the wind. Xiang Zhao remains where he is, sitting cross-legged on his trunk. He's placed that under a tree in a park in Bludhaven, in the shade. And there he will wait, either until he gets an answer, or until darkness falls. Some six or seven hours from now.

When the talisman arrives at its destination, it will blow in, through any crack or crevice it can find, like some ash riding on the wind. It will swirl once around Diana, then go straight to her right hand. And the process is reversed. The dust gathers until it is solid once more. The writing is all Chinese hanzi characters. Xiang knows the recipient understands the language, so there's no use writing in anything else.

The characters are not as steady as one might expect from someone who has written in the language since he was a child. They appear to have been written by someone with a hand that had trembled so much he couldn't keep the brush steady. The writing on the front is simple. It says: Xinxi. On the back, it's a little more complicated: Nage fangjian hai keyong ma? Wo xuyao ji tian buzai shixian fanwei nei.

Translation1: Message.
Translation2: Is that room still available? I need to stay out of sight for a few days.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Home. It means a lot of things to different people, but... many do say that it's where the heart is. For herself, Diana stands in front of the window of her office, staring outside. She's only half paying attention, leaning slightly against the window frame. She should be tending to her work, her duties, but... she's taking a break.

And that's when the flurry of ash comes in through the screen of the open window. It easily draws her attention, and she shifts her weight to be no longer leaning, her brow furrowing slightly. What...? It's a curious thing! As she lifts her right hand, it finishes swirling around her before settling into her hand and reforming to become the message once aga. "Intriguing," she says softly, one of her eyebrows quirking up.

Diana reads the message, and she tilts her head slightly to one side. There's a park mentioned in the message, and she knows where it is. She notices the quality of the hanzi, and it doesn't jive with the man she knows it's from. There's something that doesn't mesh. She folds the piece of parchment, and she keeps it in hand before stepping back and away from the window.

It doesn't take her long to walk across her office, to leave it and then to head out of the embassy itself. Her assistant earns a wave as Diana passes by. Once she's outsie, though, Diana wastes no time in taking flight and heading direction for the park. A friend needs her? Diana goes. She didn't bother to change her clothes, and so is wearing a dark purple button up blouse, a pair of charcoal slacks, and a pair of black flats. And once she's above the park, it doesn't take her long to spy Zhao there with his trunk. She lands lightly nearby before walking over to him. "You have quite an intriguing way of sending a message, Zhao," Diana says, speaking in Mandarin. "The room is available. It is yours, whenever you wish or need to make use of it. Has something happened?" she asks, a flicker of curiosity to her voice and her blue gaze studying him.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Indeed, there's definitely something that doesn't jive quite right with the usual unflappable person that Xiang Zhao is, when the shaky hanzi are viewed on that note. Zhao is still in the robes from the previous day. Crimson, the outer robe is, with lilies embroidered in shakes of darker and paler reds. The inner robe is creamy. The color looks /good/ on him, complimenting his pale complexion nicely. Which is, sad to say, paler than what it normally is.

But Zhao? His expression is the same as it always is. His body language is the same. Calm. Collected. Unflappable. His emotions, on the other hand, are a far different story. A grief so all consuming it's a wonder he looks normal and isn't sitting there sobbing on the trunk. Despair and loneliness. And above those, the strongest emotion is a desire for death. Zhao has no desire to live any longer. He closes his eyes, a quiet sigh coming from him. The only signs at all that something is not right.

He opens his eyes again a few seconds later. He sees Diana land and rises gracefully from the trunk. His hands lift and cup before him, and he bows to her. "Xiexie, Diana. It is.. the only way I know of sending a message other than with a bird, or person. And it is faster, and much more secure than either." He also is speaking in Mandarin. He bows his head. "I thank you. I... could use it. I need.." He shakes his head and doesn't speak further. She can study him all she wants. On the surface, he looks as calm and serene as he ever does. But beneath... the pain surges as his thoughts turn to what he had done. "I betrayed a friend to save his life."

Wonder Woman has posed:
The sight of him is taken in by Diana, and she tilts her head a touch to one side. She studies him, but it's more than just the sight of him that she takes into consideration. He is a good looking fellow, and the shade of red that he's wearing looks good on him as well. The embroidery of the robes is beautiful. And the details are all taken in rather quickly, including that pale complexion of his.

The feelings coming off of him are nigh palpable. The despair and loneliness, the desire for death, the grief. Something has clearly happened. She notices that quiet sigh from him, his closed eyes. And she bows to him, in the proper manner. "Of course, Zhao," she says softly, a gentle tone to her voice. "It is quite an amazing bit of magic. It was a surprise to receive it," Diana adds, giving a small nod to him. She continues to speak in Mandarin, perhaps for his benefit.

"The room is yours for as long as you have need of it. I promised that to be the case," Diana says, a small smile touching at the corners of her lips. She raises an eyebrow slightly, watching him, and she gives a small nod. "I am sorry, Zhao. Betraying a friend is never easy, no matter what the reason. What were you saving him from?" she asks softly.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Compared to the times Diana has seen Xiang Zhao before, he's really not the same. If any word were to be used, compared to normal, he is haggard. Coupled with those emotions... His head is very clearly not a fun place to be, right now. He swallows, the motion visible with the bobbing of his adam's apple. "It is one of the most complex spells I know," he says, voice soft. "Fire is the hardest to control. My attacks and blocks take the most precision. Most of the others are a combination of precision and power. Except for the music. That is concentration and the ability to control emotions. Mine as well as being able to manipulate others' emotions with it. None of these compare to one bit of magic I will never dare to use except in dire circumstances."

He also continues to speak in Mandarin, since that is what she speaks in. "Thank you," replies Xiang Zhao. He is silent for a time, and looks out through the trees of the park. Though his expression is unreadable, his dark eyes unfathomable, his emotions are easy for her to sense. The despair of love had and lost. Not once, but twice. "Myself." His voice is so very soft, he might not have said anything at all.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Amazonian princess listens attentively as he explains about his magic, and she gives a little bit of a nod. "It sounds as though you know a fair deal of magic, a number of different spells. I have none of my own, so... it is intriguing to me," Diana says, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. He doesn't look as good as what he had the last time she saw him. And there's also the emotions to consider, as well. "Oh? What is it that you play?" she asks, a flicker of curiosity to her voice. She tilts her head a little bit to one side, her curiosity getting the better of her. "What magic is that, which you will never use?" she asks, watching him.

"You are welcome, Zhao," Diana says softly, inclining her head slightly towards him. Her question of him, however, earns a very unexpected answer. And one that, no matter how softly he speaks it, she hears. She has excellent hearing, after all. She tilts her head a touch to one side, and then she gives a small nod. "Forgive me, Zhao, but... I find that difficult to believe. That your friend's life would need to be saved from you," she says softly, a gentle tone to her voice. "Will you share with me what happened?" she asks. There's no pressure to the question, no expectations. It's simply a question that he can either choose to answer or not.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao tilts his head just enough to give the impression that he's thinking about that, about how much magic he really does know. "Mm." Acknowledgment or agreement, it could be either. "I.. would be willing to show you and explain it, if you like," he says. The question of what he plays comes, and Xiang Zhao reaches a hand back to the wrapped bundle atop his trunk. "Guqin," he says, "And flute." His hand, the right, comes forward again and shifts his outer robe to the side, revealing the two fans that she knows about, tucked beneath his sash, along with a flute. It is white, appearing to be some sort of stone rather than anything painted, with pale blue swirls reminiscent of wind.

Xiang's left hand is slipped to the small of his back now, its customary spot. He lets the robe fall closed again, and looks to Diana once more. "The ability to call a soul," he says. "It is dark magic that can corrupt those who use it."

Softly though he'd spoken the answer of himself being the problem, Zhao wasn't meaning to hide the answer from Diana. It's just not something he's comfortable talking about. And yet... He trusts Diana, and so is willing to tell her.

"Not from me, precisely, but from my presence. There is.. something which hunts me. Something which executes any I fall in love with. It wishes me to be alone and miserable." In that respect, it is succeeding! "And so I.. I tried to leave, when I realized that I was ... And he.." Zhao shakes his head. "But he would not let me walk away. So I went back home with him. And.. hit him, here." He shows where, the clip to the back of the head/neck area on the right side. "To put him unconscious. And then I packed my things and left. It is no longer safe for him, for me to be there. If I am not there, that which hunts me will not know of him." Unless, of course, it already does. Of course, if it wants him miserable and alone.. well. He is that.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"I would like that, if you would not mind doing so," Diana says, a smile touching at the corners of her lips as she watches him. "I can sense some magics, but, alas, there are none that I can create of my own," she comments, inclining her head towards him. Her gaze turns to the instrument that he indicates, and she tilts her head slightly to one side. "I may have heard the music of one, once, many years ago. Perhaps you would not mind to play it for me at some point during your stay," she suggests, watching him. "I have always found the music of a flute to be very pleasing," she adds, giving a small nod, her gaze turning to the robe as it's drawn aside to reveal the flute. "I have never seen a flute such as the one that you have, though. It is beautiful."

"To call a soul? Do you mean to make it leave a person's body?" Diana asks, one of her eyebrows quirking up a touch.

When he speaks further on the situation that has thus brought him to her door, so to speak, her gaze holds to him and she listens attentively. There's a spark that shows in her eyes at one part or another, and a nod when he indicates where he had hit the man to knock him unconscious, but she holds any words that she might say until the end. "Zhao, this thing that hunts you, it is pushing you and it is winning. It is making you alone and miserable. If he sought so hard to keep you, then I would wager that he loves you as well, Zhao. Love is a gift that is meant to be shared," she says softly, a gentle tone to her voice, and a tone that has some understanding in it. She has loved, and she has lost that love. "Whatever this thing is, it does not deserve to take your happiness away. It does not deserve to win or to tear apart your love. And if that is its purpose then it deserves to die. You deserve to be happy, to be with the one that you love," she adds, giving a small nod to him. "Did you tell him of this thing that hunts you, that hunts those you love? What manner of thing is it? What if it already knows of him, and hunts him even now?" she asks, posing the difficult questions. She can't help it, for she's thought of the questions and it is, alas, a tactic that makes sense.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao thinks about his magic for a moment, and then starts to list off just what he can do. "I can tether two people together. I can call fire. I can float rather than fall from a height. I can jump with a similar spell. I can accelerate a person's natural healing by double. I can attack and block. I can replenish my power or another's. I can influence another person's, or my own, emotions with music. I can create a magical net. I can sense auras and other magic. I can write talismans. One can alert me if it is disturbed, physically or magically. One can attract or repell evil. One is the message I sent you. I can use a pair to communicate over distances with another. I can suppress a person's or object's powers or magic. And I can call a soul."

Xiang Zhao nods. "The sound of a guqin is very distinct. There are no other instruments that sound the same.I would not mind playing it for you." He slips his right hand back into the robe, and pulls the white flute out. He offers it to her. Upon closer inspection, it will prove to be jade. Pristinely white jade, with no hints of green anywhere to it. And the paler blue swirls are clearly inlaid labradorite. It's an exquisite instrument, all in all.

The question soul calling has Zhao shaking his head. "No. I mean to call a departed soul back to its body. I cannot use it to call a soul from its body. I have to have the body, or it does not work."

He goes quiet as Diana speaks of the thing that hunts him. He closes his eyes and takes a breath. "I know he loves me, Diana," he says softly. "And I love him. But I would rather be alone and miserable than to see the person I live die. I cannot defeat it, Diana. I am not certain how I survived my last encounter with it." He shakes his head. "I did not. Because if he knows of it, he will go after it, and then he will die," he says firmly. "It is a demon of the air. If it knows of him, it also knows I have left. It also knows how miserable I am. With me not there and staying away, ah'Tali is no longer in any danger. It only kills if I am there. If I am not, it will stay its hand." Her questions make sense, but he knows this demon well.

Wonder Woman has posed:
As Zhao goes through the variety of different magic that he can use, Diana is quiet. She listens attentively, that spark of interest remaining in her blue eyes, a nod of acknowledgement coming here and there amongst the list. It truly is intriguing to her and pretty amazing the variety of things that he can do with magic. There's a smile that comes to her features, and she gives a nod as he finishes up the list. "That is quite an impressive list of things that you can do, Zhao," Diana says, her words having a complimenting tone to them. She continues to speak in Mandarin, as that's what she'd started the conversation in. It affords a bit more privacy, given that they're yet in a public location.

"Yes, it is rather distinctive. I have not known many who play it. Thank you, Zhao... I would like that, very much," Diana says, giving a small nod at his agreement to play the guqin. As the flute is offered, she takes a moment to visually admire it first, and then she lifts one of her hands to accept it from him. She holds it respectfully, gently but securely, and she lightly passes the fingers of one of her hands over the instrument. "White jade, and... labradorite, if I am not mistaken," she says softly, one of her eyebrows quirking up. She's never seen an instrument the likes of it, and she offers it respectfully back to him. "It is truly exquisite, Zhao, thank you," she adds, giving a small nod.

"Ah, the souls of the fallen. I can understand how some might think it to be perhaps a darker sort of magic, but... I imagine that there are times when it has its uses. A thing to be used with caution, understandably. Sometimes, such gifts are, as it might be said, a double edged sword," she muses, a thoughtful tone to her voice.

As he speaks of his love, there is a sadness that shows in Diana's blue eyes whilst she watches him. "If you love him, and he loves you... love deserves to have a chance, Zhao," Diana says softly, a gentle tone to her voice. "I have lived a long time. And I loved, once. He died, and though I have mourned his loss a number of times since then, I have found myself to never have regretted that I took the chance to love him to start with," she says, watching him. "To be alone and to be miserable for it... I am sorry, Zhao. I will help in any way that I can. I want to help you to be happy," she adds. "The outcome of the fight has not been written, if he were to take on such a task. Perhaps he would not die if he did not face it alone. If there was someone to watch his back for him. And someone to watch yours, too. Love gives us a strength that we often fail to see in ourselves. Perhaps your demon of air is not even here to know that you are, or to know of him," Diana muses, a thoughtful tone to her voice. She's quiet a moment, studying him, and there's a wistful sort of smile that touches her features. "I would expect that he is also alone and miserable, as well. Based on what you have said, well... the demon that hunts those you love may not pose him danger, though a broken heart is not always a safe place to dwell," she says softly, her tone thoughtful.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
There really is a good variety of things Xiang Zhao can do with magic. He lifts one shoulder in a very small shrug. "None of the things I can do are overly powerful, but can have great effect if used right." Like her, he continues to speak in Mandarin. For one, it's what she'd greeted him in. For two, it's the language he's most comfortable in. And for three, his head really isn't in a very good place right now, so English... might be a little bit of a challenge.

"If you would like to learn, I would be willing to teach you to play it," he says, likely referring to the guqin. Or possibly the flute. Her assessment of his flute is met with a nod. "Correct. Jade and labradorite. It belonged to my grandfather, who made it. When he died, it passed to my father. And when he died, it passed to me." He accepts it back and tucks it away, back beneath his sash again. "Thank you," he says to the compliment. It really is a nice instrument.

"Mm. Double edged. The magic has been known to drive mad those who use it. And sometimes the soul being called along with them." For his love.... Zhao shakes his head. "I do not regret loving him at all. Not for one second. The only thing I regret is pushing him away when we still had a chance to be together. Even if only for a short time." He takes a breath and shakes his head. "The last two times, it has been thus. Me to watch his back, him to watch mine. The demon killed both of them. I nearly died the last time. I wanted to die the second time. I remember, now, trying to die after I had mostly recovered from the fight. They made me forget. Forget that I wanted to die. Forget Wushi. Forget Li Wang. Forget all that had happened. I think I would have continued to not remember, had Jing not accidentally sent me here."

He turns away, and takes the single step necessary to get to his trunk. He lifts the guqin, wrapped in its silken protection, and lifts it to his right shoulder. The trunk has wheels, so he simply takes up the pull strap on one end and looks over his shoulder to Diana. "I would rather he live and be free than die because he loves me. He will forget me and move on." Zhao may or may not move on. He feels like he is planning on courting death.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"Power is often in the way one uses one's gifts rather than the strength that the gift itself has. The power to know how it is best applied, the power of knowing the right moment to use it," Diana says softly, a smile touching at the corners of her lips. "It is not entirely different from using weapons. To know which moves to put together to the best effect," she muses, a thoughtful tone to her voice.

"I would like that, if you do not mind sharing your skills," she says softly, watching him. "It is a beautiful instrument. From the looks of it, he was an excellent craftsman, your grandfather. I am sorry that he and your father have both passed, Zhao," she says in a gentle tone. Losing people is hard, no matter how they happen to be related to the one who is left behind.

"I had a feeling that you did not regret your love. It is perhaps not my place to say, but... if there is a chance for you to be together with him, then perhaps the chance should be taken. Hope should never be lost, and the future is an unwritten and nebulous thing that can only be figured out by living to see it," she says with a small smile. "There is a saying that goes something along the lines of 'third time will be the charm'. There is a certain amount of luck, in threes," Diana muses.

"I would hope that there are good memories to remember as well, other than simply the pain and the loss," Diana says, raising an eyebrow slightly and watching him. "Love is not so easily forgotten, Zhao. Love is sharing freedom with another. People attribute many things to love, though it is often the everlasting quality of it that pull people together. The hope of not being alone, of having someone until the end of their time," she says, a touch wistfully. Then she offers her left hand to him. "When you are ready, Zhao, we can fly to the Embassy and get you settled in," she offers, giving a small nod to him.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Mm." This is all that is said about powers and the knowledge to use them effectively. It's the truth, afterall, and he agrees. There's no nod, though. Just the sound. And another, "Mm," to the bit about weapons. Correct again. Again, no nod. Then, "I do not mind sharing what I know. I will show you my magic, as well, if you desire. That which I can show safely or has visible effect."

The compliment about his grandfather doesn't change his expression one iota. Nope. Zhao is not in any sort of mood for smiling. Not at all. "What we do is neither safe nor easy, but our duty to the people we watch over. They help keep us supplied. We help keep them safe." It's a symbotic relationship. What little they can't produce themselves, the villages they watch over provide, in exchange for the safety the mages and martial artists offer. Zhao is one of the rarer ones, in that he is both mage and martial artist. Of those, there are but a handful, and most of them out on walkabout somewhere or other at any given time. Sometimes, safeguarding those very villages. Sometimes, other places in China.

It is hard, to lose people. It really is. He breathes out a quiet sigh. "The only thing I regret is bringing their deaths. They should not have had to die because ..." He goes quiet, and is silent for several moments, like he might not reply. His eyes drop to the ground, "Because my love is writing their death notes," he finally says, voice not even a whisper. The words are not meant for Diana, and that much is clear. Zhao shakes his head and doesn't speak further. That initial statement though, makes it clear that there are many good memories. But that one regret shadows them all.

A moment after her offer is taken to gather his chest in both hands, and he steps closer to her, to fly with her. She has seen him at his best and at his utmost worst. He knows he has nothing to fear from her.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a small smile that touches Diana's lips, and then she gives a nod to him. "Thank you, Zhao. I would appreciate that. I will share with you any of my skills that you might wish to know more of as well," she offers, inclining her head towards him. "If you wish, we could even set up a training area for you, for your magic," she offers, a thoughtful tone to her voice. "Anything that you need or wish, I will do all that can be done to provide it," she adds. A very accomodating hostess, she is.

"Many things are not safe to do, nor easy, and yet we do them for the benefit of others," Diana says, giving a small nod. She understands it. She's fought a great many things that would be considered dangerous, in order to protect the people here on this planet, and yet she has survived them.

"You did not kill them, Zhao... you did not bring their deaths. That lies upon the hands of another," Diana says softly, a gentle tone to her voice. Ah, she feels for him, and the pain that he's in. And she wishes that she could make it better, to take it away for him. To make him happy. But she doesn't have that ability. And so she does what little she can, which is to slip an arm around him and give him a very faint but reassuring squeeze before easily lifting off from the ground.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao nods to the offer of both skill sharing and training area. "That would be most appreciated. And.. a sparring partner would be appreciated also." She really is a very accomodating hostess. And it's somethng that the Chinaman is very thankful for. "Thank you, Diana. So very much." Like her, he's fought a great many things that were dangerous. He knows there are dangerous things. There's just... some things he's not willing to risk. Vitali's life happens to be one of those.

To her words of the deaths of his loved ones, he shakes his head. "The blame is my own," he says softly. "I was warned, that if I ever loved, they would die horribly." He closes his eyes and is passive for the length of time they're in the air.

Once they land at the embassy's private entrance, Zhao is fairly quick to step away, putting the usual amount of distance between them that he maintains between himself and everyone else /except/ for Vitali. Vitali is the only one he tollerates within touching distance. Even if not touching. Nobody else thus far has willingly gotten that priveledge. Not even Diana, who's saved his life, who he's fought beside. "I think I wish to meditate for a few days," he says. "If you do not mind leaving word for nobody to disturb me. Disturbing me could be dangerous for me. Anywhere will do, so long as it is quiet and secluded." Really, he just probably needs some quiet to think. How could meditation be dangerous, afterall?

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a smile that quirks at the corners of her lips, and Diana inclines her head towards Zhao. "I would gladly be a sparring partner for you, as would any of my Sisters," she offers, watching him. Any of them would be more than willing, she's certain. And fighting against different fighting styles -- perhaps even learning them -- will make them stronger and better.

She gives him a small nod at his thanks, a little smile touching her lips. "You are welcome, Zhao. If there is anything you have need of, please do not hesitate to ask. There is no request too large or too small. I will be listening for you, that I promise," she says. It's the least that she can do and at the same time, perhaps the most that she can do as well. She won't -- can't -- push him. He's a friend, and she cares about him. "I am sorry, Zhao. If there is a way that I can help, please ask," she adds, when he speaks of the warning that he had been given.

There's no effort made to stop him from stepping away once they've landed at that entrance, and she watches him for a moment before moving to follow him, her steps smooth and graceful. She's mindful of his personal space -- it's a thing that she's noticed on previous occassions. She opens the door and gestures for him to go inside. One of her eyebrows raises a touch at his mention of meditation, and then she gives a nod to him. "Of course. If the room that you stayed in last time is suitable for your meditation, then you are welcome to use it. If you have need of another space for it, then that can be arranged. I will put a sign on the door that you are not to be disturbed. There is no one in the rooms to either side, and no one expected there either. You will have the quiet that you need and wish," she promises, giving a small nod to him.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
That quirk of lips is not met in equal measure. Xiang Zhao just... is not in a smiling mood today. At all. "That is good. I could.. use a workout. Take my mind away from.." Zhao stops and takes a deep breath, then swallows hard, adam's apple bobbing. He closes his eyes briefly, against a surge of pain, of regret for what he had done. He hadn't wanted to do it. He'd wanted simply to ... to make it safe for Vitali. But it's obvious from his expression that he misses the hell out of the man. "Distraction," he whispers. "Please."

Well. At least he'd actually /made/ a request! That really hadn't seemed likely before it came from his mouth. He shakes his head a little bit, and opens his dark eyes again. They shine like there's tears in them, though none fall. "Just.. distraction." There's a trace of desperation visible in his eyes. The emotion practically roars to Diana's senses, though. Distract him before he does something they'll both regret, and that Tali, if he ever finds out, will also regret.

Once he's stepped away, the trunk is sat down and the pull handle taken up again. He walks slowly toward the door, and actually blinks in surprise and a little startlement when Diana gets to it before him. He'd blanked out for a moment, clearly, because he hadn't seen her walk past him. Oh. He'd blanked and stopped walking. He shakes his head, as though to clear it, then nods his thanks as she holds the door open. "Thank you." Still talking in Mandarin.

"That room should be fine, yes. I am really uncertain I can just now." He takes a breath and nods to Diana. "Thank you again. I.. really appreciate this." He steps on through the door, pulling the trunk along behind him, guqin resting lightly agaisnt his back. It really doesn't take long to get his stuff settled in the room. Walk in, let go of the pull handle, set the guqin case down, walk out again.

Once that's accomplished, he follows Diana to the main lobby, on their way to go do something distracting.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a gentle understanding held in her blue eyes as she looks to Zhao, and Diana gives a small nod in response to his words. "I understand, Zhao. I hope that a workout will help, and if ever you wish to spar against multiple opponents then that can be easily arranged as well," she offers. She understands what he's going through. It's a difficult and challenging thing. But she will be there for him as he allows, if he allows. Sometimes, the best laid plans don't always turn out the way one might hope they do. "This way, Zhao," she says softly, a small smile touching at the corners of her lips.

A distraction is what he asks for, though the emotions pouring from him are not easily things that she can see past. He has an emotional strength that is significant, for as together as he's managing to keep himself in these moments. "Do you ride horses, Zhao?" she asks softly, a flicker of curiosity to her words. It's, in truth, the first thing that came to mind to offer up as a distraction to him. Perhaps it will be enough, perhaps not, but she has hopes. Diana always has hopes. There's a small nod to him, at his thanks. "You are welcome, always," she says softly. She, as well, still speaks in Mandarin, and fluently so.

"I have kept the room reserved for you, since the last time that you stayed there. I was uncertain what the situation was, so... there are a few things there for you," she offers, inclining her head towards him. "They are gifts, and yours to keep," she adds. She walks with him to the room he'd stayed in before, waits outside of it as he puts his things within it, and then she walks with him back to the main lobby, her heels clicking as she steps into it from the stairs that go to the residential floors of the embassy. "There are no events in the ballroom today, so we can use that for sparring. What weapon is your preference?" she asks, curious. Perhaps she suspects the answer, but asking him is a form of distraction as well.

Twitch has posed:
The Themysciran Embassy is as good a place as any to explore today, or at least Tyler seems to think so. The young man has found his way to the front entrance with the intent to learn more about the Amazons if it's at all possible. They are a fascinating group of people, after all. Plus, they're all warriors, like him, so they've got that in common.

Twitch makes his way into the lobby of the embassy, staring around at everything quite captivated by the decorations and by the folks hanging out there. The two that have just entered, however, definitely snag his attention. Especially when one mentions sparring and weapons!

The young fellow looks in their direction and waves before he realizes what he's doing, and then his head twitches slightly to the side. He sighs slightly after that happens, but doesn't slow down too much. "Sorry to bug you, but did I just hear that there's going to be sparring? I'd really love to see what an Amazon is capable of."

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao looks thoughtful at the thought of multiple opponents. Then he nods. "That might be what it takes," he says. "For distraction, I mean. If your Sisters are anything like you are, I do not know how well I will fare against them." Most of the time, the best laid plans don't go according to, well, plan. He nods to the question. "I do, yes. And I am reasonably competant." Which probably means he's quite skilled. Certainly better than the average person, as much as he tends to understate things. "I have not ridden since I arrived here. I miss it." Like her, he still speaks in very fluent Mandarin. A native speaker, that.

For Zhao, he is dressed much as he usually is. Today, the outer robe is crimson with lilies embroidered down the sleeves and the flowy portion down low in darker and paler reds. The inner robe, which can be seen beneath the open fronted outer robe, is a pale, creamy color. The sash at his waist matches the crimson of the outer robe. The whole is quite flowy and elegant. His hair is partially pulled back into a tail that is looped at the back of his head and secured with a white hair stick that is shaped like a branch with red berries on the non pointy end. The rest flows down his back to his waist.

The gifts he decided to leave for after distraction. His mind set right now, he wouldn't be able to enjoy them, and that would be a disservice to Diana. Her suspicion of his weapon of choice is likely correct. "War fan. But that is not suitable for sparring. I cannot blunt the edges. A staff, perhaps. Or my sword, sheathed. I do not wish to harm anyone." The question might be a form of distraction, and if it is, it's working. The horses had distracted him too.

Though his back is partially to the entrance where a young fellow he doesn't recognize comes in, Zhao still catches the motion of that waved greeting in the peripherals of his vision. He turns his head to look that way, curiousity briefly bringing some life to his eyes. His face remains calm and otherwise expressionless, as does his body language. He stands loose and at ease. The sort that points out a martial artist. One that is always ready to move at any given moment. "Sparring, yes," he says, in English now. His dark eyes move to Diana and he nods once. "I would not mind."

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a brief glance across the lobby, though Diana didn't need to look in order to be aware that there were others present. She can hear them easily enough. One of her eyebrows quirks up as she notices the wave that seems in their direction, and she tilts her head a touch to one side, her attention caught by the young fellow's words. A smile comes to the corners of her lips, and she inclines her head towards him. "You heard correctly," she affirms.

Her attention shifts to Zhao though, and one of her eyebrows quirks up slightly. "My Sisters are similar to me. Their strength is somewhat less than what mine is," she muses, a thoughtful tone to her voice. "If you wish it, perhaps we can find the opportunity to venture to one of the farms and go riding," she offers, giving a small nod to him. "Your style of fighting is different than ours, so... it is hard to say how well or how poorly it may go, though we do try to adapt well," she says, giving a soft chuckle. "We have practice weapons of many different types, so if there is one that you would wish to use then you are welcome to choose. The war fan, alas, is one that is challenging to practice with, for the reasons that you mention," she agrees. She studies Zhao for a moment after his agreement, and then she gives a nod to him.

Diana turns her attention back to the young fellow, at that point. "There will be sparring, and it will be likely that an Amazon will be involved, though whether it be myself or one of my Sisters has yet to be determined," she comments, a smile finding her features. "The choice of opponent is up to my friend," she adds, looking to Zhao and giving a nod to him. Then she offers her right hand towards the young fellow. "I am Diana, and my friend is Xiang Zhao," she offers, by way of introduction. No last name for herself is offered, interestingly.

Twitch has posed:
"Thank god you speak English, I exhausted my Mandarin figuring out you were talking about fighting," Tyler says to the Asian fellow with a bright smile on his face as he checks out the guy's duds. "I like your gear, by the way. Hell of a lot cooler than what I usually see people wearing." He's in a pretty nondescript outfit with his jacket, t-shirt, jeans and boots. Very ordinary, almost studiedly so.

"My name is Tyler, how do you do Diana? Xiang Zhao?" Very friendly seeming kid. He takes Diana's hand and gives it a firm, polite squeeze. "Awesome to meet you two. I'm a martial artist myself, that's kind of why I came by today. I wanted to see if I could learn about how Amazons fight. You women seem so bad ass it's not funny." Or maybe it is, because he chuckles a little bit. "If you're ever interested in learning some Brazilian jiu jitsu I coach folks sometimes, kickboxing, too. I also study some Japanese systems and some kung fu, mostly focusing on weapon forms. I'm a beast with a pair of fu tao."

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao closes his eyes very briefly as he nods to Diana. "That is good, then." He opens his dark eyes as he considers. "But more than one or two might be beyond what I am capable of. He shakes his head. "One might be beyond my capablities." There's no hint of the amusement that should be there with that statement. No, it's a simple statement of fact without any embellishments. "I am finding that my style of fighting is different than nearly everyone here. And I am happy to teach anyone who wishes to learn." There is a nod about his war fan. "At best, I can practice with it closed." But even that leaves something to be desired. No, it's best to practice with that one against air or non living targets.

"I would not say no to going riding." Xiang Zhao shakes his head. "You have seen me fight. You are the best judge of who would be best to spar with. You know your Sisters. I do not," he says softly. As he is introduced, he lifts his hands before him, toward Tyler, and cups them together. He bows over them toward the man. "Greetings. I try to speak in English if there are people who do not speak Mandarin. It is polite." He seems to be a polite fellow, too, does Zhao. Or at least, he tries to be.

The compliment brings Zhao's eyes to look at his robes even as he is straightening from the bow. Curiously, he does not offer his hand to shake. Instead, the left is tucked at the small of his back, and the right about the same area at his front. "Thank you. They are.. not hot, at least. Silk is good for not being too hot." He may have misinterpreted what the younger man meant. "I do not know the fighting you speak of. Kung fu I know. Neijing is my focus. Fans." His right hand moves to shift his robes aside to display two folding fans and a white flute with pale blue swirls reminiscent of air.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a soft chuckle from Diana, and she inclines her head towards the young fellow. His hand is given a gentle squeeze, ever aware of her own strength, and not squashed or harmed in any way. "Yes, I do speak English. It is not my first language, but it is one that I know," she says with a smile. And she speaks it well, with only a minimal accent as a telltale to her native Themysciran. For her part, she wears a pair of charcoal slacks, black heels, and a dark purple button up shirt.

"A pleasure to meet you, Tyler. I am well, thank you. And for yourself?" she asks, curious and polite. She tilts her head slightly to one side, watching him, and she inclines her head slightly to him. "It may be possible. Although students are not overly common, I must admit," she says, a thoughtful tone to her voice. And that may be a question that is posed a great many times.

Diana turns her attention to Zhao, and he gives a small nod. "It will be up to you as to how many you face, Zhao. I have a feeling that they will be intrigued by the way that you fight," she says, inclining her head towards him. "Generally, my Sisters will go all out in sparring with me, but against each other it is not always so. They will pull their strikes to prevent causing harm to one another. I have different preferences than most," she comments, quirking a smile. She has different strengths as well.

"I will do what I can to arrange something, where riding is concerned," she answers. "My Sisters are relatively equally skilled. I will select a number of them for you to test, so to speak, and see if you approve of them as sparring partners. In addition to myself, that is," she says, a smile touching her features. She takes a moment to look between the pair of men, and then tilts her head faintly to one side. "Would you perhaps be interested in sparring with one another? It is impromptu, I know, but I suspect that my Sisters would be curious to see such a display of fighting skill."

Twitch has posed:
"Fans? That's really interesting!" Tyler could talk about fighting all day, apparently. He seems pretty excited. "Brazilian jiu jitsu is a grappling focused system that features a lot of ground fighting techniques. Since the way most folks go about fighting they end up rolling around on the ground together it really pays to know what you're doing. With BJJ techniques you can take on significantly larger people on the ground if you really know what you're doing." He pauses for a second and twitches slightly, "Though you should also know how to fight standing up, too. It's dangerous to go to the ground in a street fight because you never know if the other fighter has a knife or something."

"I'm doing fine, thank you," the youngster tells Diana. At her question he looks towards Zhao then back to the woman, shrugging his shoulders, "I'll spar any time. It's a good way to learn."

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Mm. Perhaps one, or two, to start, and see how it goes from there? If they are intrigued, I do not mind people watching." Zhao's voice is as soft is it usually tends to be, something that seems more habitual than anything else. And people watching him work out or spar might be something he's fairly used to. He nods to her words, about pulling strikes. "This is good. I will pull my strikes as well. I do not wish to cause harm to any."

Only now does his mouth quirk up the slightest bit. The first expression other than calm he's shown since she'd found him earlier. "That is a good plan." He looks from Diana to Tyler and considers, then inclines his head in an almost formal sort of way. "I would not say no," he says. An impromptu sparring contest between two strangers, both versed in the martial arts? That would be the distraction Zhao had asked for.

He slips one of the fans loose and offers it to Tyler, held in his right hand. "Be careful of the curved edge. It is sharp." He looks from the fan to the younger man. "My style of fighting is more about evasion and striking from the side or behind, rather than fighting another straight on." It sounds like it requires good grace and timing.