13879/Whoooo.. are you

Whoooo.. are you
Date of Scene:	12 October 2021
Location:	Columbus Park - Chinatown
Synopsis:	Willow meets Yaozo, who is, by chance, Zhao's shidi. They talk. Willow gets another piece to Tali's possession.
Cast of Characters:	Willow Rosenberg, Yaozu Lin

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Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Over the next few days, Willow came back to the park. Ostensibly to watch the tai chi and make up her mind.. and she had, actually. But more so to see if Tali 'friend' Zhihao could be found out, and maybe get some new information about him.

So far her research found very little, but had lead down several rabbit holes that she was certain would pan out.

The evening session was just now over, and finally Willow had taken the plunge and participated. At first she was embarrassed, but as the session went on she drew upon her confidence and finally began to relax.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There are soft footsteps that whisper across the green grass of the park, and yet they do not have the sound or pattern of what would be considered normal footsteps. The reason for such a thing is because of the fact that they are made by feet that are not normal -- the feet are avian, and they are taloned. The avian who makes such footsteps has feathers that are as black as midnight. His wings rest lightly at his back, and his feathered ear tufts are lifted as he enters the park.

Once within the park, Yaozu pauses, his gaze slipping softly across the park and those who are within it. He wears a set of traditional and old-style Chinese robes. The silken robes are light green, edged and trimmed in dark green, with a bit of ivy embroidery upon the wide sleeves and a dark green sash around his waist to hold the robes closed. His right hand rests at the small of his back, and he starts to walk further into the park, his gaze falling upon the seniors who practice tai chi. And his attention easily picks out the one who is different, and he tilts his head a little bit to one side as he watches.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Of course that would be Willow.

The final set of 108 movements Willow breathed deep in and out with her eyes closed (most of the time!). She actually wasn't bad; but then she was not an expert either.

As it rounded out, and everybody packed out, Willow put on her Birkenstocks, and looked around. It was weird they came, they participated, they left without a word.

Except the avian type at the edge of the lawn.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
It is the one who is different that seems to stand out within a crowd of people. This is a thing that Yaozu well knows, and from personal experience. He is, after all, someone who is very different. He watches the practitioners of tai chi as the set of movements are finished, and they are movements that he is familiar with. His beak snicks softly as he watches the group start to disperse, and he stops nearby.

Yaozu keep his right hand at the small of his back, and a slight breeze that drifts by lightly flutters his long black hair. He has, for this evening, left his hair free and loose to fall down over his back. It is a strange thing, indeed -- the seniors gather, they practice, they visit for a little while, and they depart. Yaozu's gaze lowers and he inclines his head towards a small group of them who pass him, the gesture respectful. He wishes them a good evening, in Chinese, his voice soft as he does.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
..And then there was one.

Willow still stood in the exact same spot, until she was the only one left. By that time the lights were on, and twilight fell with a suddenness. A few people were still at the park, but not close enough to here.

Still Willow doesn't head home. Something makes her stay. And she believes it has something to do with the avian. Something that they both can do for each other. So she stood and waited.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There is a glance that Yaozu casts to either side of him as the last of the tai chi practitioners depart and pass him by. Many of them have seen him before, and so they do not treat him with any malice or anything of the sort. His gaze lifts to the sky as twilight falls, and for a brief moment his eyes catch the light and reflect it with a moment of eyeshine. He sees perfectly well, even though darkness is falling.

Shifting his weight slightly upon his feet, he starts to approach the redheaded woman. His gaze is unblinking and steadfast, and he takes a moment to study her whilst he comes nearer. He stops, beyond her personal space. There, he slips his right hand away from the small of his back, bringing the back of his right hand to rest against the palm of his left hand, and he extends his arms as he bows to her. "I am Lin Yaozu," he offers by way of introduction.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
That gesture of one that she is familiar with, and quickly she repeats. "Hi, I'm Willow. You know, the tree willow? That's me." With a very serious look on her face, she asks him, "We haven't met before, but for some reason I feel like I know you, or should know you?"

Then again it may be as simple as the same sort of clothing that Zhao was wearing!

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The bow that Yaozu had greeted her with would, indeed, be familiar to her. Xiang Zhao bows in the same manner. As she introduces herself, he inclines his head towards her, the gesture one that is polite and respectful. "It is good to meet you, Miss Willow," Yaozu says softly.

At her words, he tilts his head a touch to one side, the gesture one that seems more avian than human. "Yes, we have not met before," he says softly, regarding her a touch curiously. His right hand quietly slips away to the small of his back, vanishing from sight beneath his wings. His ear tufts perk a bit and wobble a touch. "I do not know why it would feel so, for you. Perhaps I remind you of another that you do know," he suggests. And yet, even as he suggests it, he realizes how unlikely it is. He only knows of one other avian who appears similar to himself.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Still.." Willow frowns as she thinks. "The way that you do things is so familiar. I can almost taste it on the tip of my tongue."

When he suggests that maybe he reminds her of sometime, it all *clicks*.

"That's it. My roommate is from China. I know, I'm so bad, I don't mean to be *that* girl, who can't tell one non-white person from the next, but.. Your clothing is similar to his. And the way you put your hand *just so* when you are greeting someone.. It reminds me of him."

Zhoa, of course.

"He's older than I am. Actually I haven't seen him recently. Which isn't good." And she's back to frowning again.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
When she frowns, Yaozu's ear tufts fall back for a brief moment before they lift once again. Then he tilts his head, studying her owlishly. "My actions are not similar to those of many other people," he says softly, a curious note to his voice. Even most of those who live in Chinatown don't have behaviours that are similar to his, which makes him something of an oddity even here.

His attention perks when she mentions her roommate as the source, and he gives a small shake of his head when she essentially apologizes to him. "Ah, no. It is fine, Miss Willow," Yaozu says softly, a smile parting his beak. "I do not have the same appearance as others, here. I am not clearly of any nationality," he says softly, inclining his head towards her. "I am also from China," he adds.

As she attempts to replicate the gesture done during a bow, Yaozu steps forward and reaches out with his left hand to attempt to very lightly touch her left hand. "Ah, no. Miss Willow, for you, it would be different. Your hands would not be in the same position," he says softly. "This," he explains, pausing to bring his hands so that the back of his right hand is against the palm of his left hand, "this is the manner in which men bow. A woman would do it this way." And then he shifts his hands, so his right hand is outermost and the back of his left hand against the palm of his right hand.

"It is a possibility that you are referring to my shixiong. I have not seen many others, here, who wear clothes that are similar to mine," Yaozu says softly, a thoughtful note to his voice.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow cheeks turn bright red. In fact her cheeks clash very violently with her hair.

"What I meant was not to put you down." Though as she thinks about it, how would she have known he was from China? Really. "I work for a company that specializes in mutants. In fact, I believe I am the only non mutant in the whole company. I really try to remember that I'm the odd one out."

As she tries to do the gesture, and is corrected, she realizes the dominant versus the subservient. Or they once were. "All this time.. Thank you." She grins. "A shixiong, huh? What.. no, I can parse it out. It's similar to.. not your teacher, but similar. He's above you, right? I don't really know. He hasn't been here too long, and I think, well, unless you do magic.."

Willow lets her sentence fade off.

"Unless his fan is a weapon. Which in some cultures could be. But usually it's archaic these days."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Mm," Yaozu acknowledges, giving a small nod to her. "I know that was not your intention. I do not take offense by anything that you have said, I assure you," he says softly, watching her. She had no way of knowing where he was from until he'd said so -- the accent to his words is not one that is very strong. There is a flicker of curiosity that shows in his eyes when she mentions her employment, and he tilts his head a bit to one side. "In what way do they specialize in mutants?" he asks. He has a reason to be curious, given that it's a mutation that has caused him to be the way he is.

He watches her as she accepts the correction, and then he gives a small nod. "You are welcome, Miss Willow," he says softly, a smile parting his beak slightly. "One must be taught the way in order to know the way, it cannot simply be expected to be known," he comments, inclining his head slightly towards her. He's quiet a moment, listening to her, and then he gives a small nod. "Yes. A shixiong. Yes, he is above me in his level of skill. To him, I am his shidi. The man who taught me, I would call him my shifu," he explains. He gives a small shake of his head, at her question of magic. "Ah, no. Magic is not a gift that I possess," he adds, a smile parting his beak once more.

"A fan?" Yaozu inquires, tilting his head to one side. "Yes. It is a weapon," he confirms. He's been thwapped often with it on his forehead, he should know. "In Chinese and Japanese culture, it is a weapon. Archaic, yes, but very effective," he adds, inclining his head towards her. Then he is quiet for a moment, studying her. "Xiang Zhao is the man you speak of."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow breaks out into a smile. "All sorts of stuff. The gentleman who runs the company has several specific things he looks after. To give them a job. To help them get up on their feet. To make mutant friendly.. everything." She might be exaggerating with one. "And to advance the knowledge. I'm not in the laboratories, though some of my work does wind up in the research."

She seems pleased when she extrapolates a language she doesn't know well. As for the fan.. She has read about it. "If he uses it against a sword, he could possibly disarm the swordsman of his sword, and if he was good, would be able to use it in return.."

*blink blink*

"Yes, Zhao.. you mean..?" And she laughs. "Figures."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
As Yaozu listens to what she says about her employer, he tilts his head to one side. "Mm," he acknowledges, giving a small nod to her. His wings ruffle softly behind him before settling once again. "It sounds like a very noble cause to take on. There are many challenges that those who are not fully human face," he says. He's had to relearn many things since his body changed, and not all people have been kind to him.

"A fan can be used in many ways. They are very effective. They are often not expected to be used as a weapon," Yaozu says, his tone thoughtful. He tilts his head a bit to one side, studying her as she speaks of swords, and he gives a single nod. "Yes, this would be able to be done. It is seldom that a martial artist is trained in only one weapon. It is safer to presume that there is a more broad base of knowledge."

He easily notices her surprise, and he chuckles softly before he gives a nod. "Yes," he says softly, his hazel eyes showing a faint sparkle. "Xiang Zhao is my shixiong. He and I are students of the same shifu, though his learning and mine were slightly different. I met him after I came here," he adds.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Well.." Willow ponders, and then she makes her mind. "I work in metaphysical phenomena. Or if you prefer, magic. I look normal. I'm not a mutant. But it isn't easy for people like me." She pauses, and continues. "My own mother was going to burn me at the stake for my magic. I had to erase all her memories of me from the time she was aware. It hurt to know that the biggest part of me had to remain a secret."

Not many people knew that one about her.

"My friend has a teacher. Similar. There isn't a type of weapon she hasn't tried. I know the gists of some, but I only learned the basics." She seems down about that.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Mm," Yaozu acknowledges, giving a small nod to her words about her work. Sometimes, he is a man of few words. As is his shixiong. He listens, and attentively so. He tilts his head to one side, studying her, and then he gives a small nod. "It is never easy for someone who is different," he says quietly. His gaze falls to the ground for a moment, and then lifts back to her. "I am sorry this is what you have been through. It is not easy to need to keep such a secret," he says softly. This is something that resonates to a certain degree for him. His ear tufts lay back and his feathers slick briefly before fluffing up again, yet he says nothing more on the matter.

"Some weapons are easier than others. To learn, to use. I use swords," he says softly. Then there is a smile to part his beak, and he brings his right hand out from where it is hidden at his back. With a slightly gesture of his hand, he causes his sleeve to move back in order to reveal the Buddhist lava prayer beads that are looped around his right wrist. "And these." Those are unlikely the only weapons he knows, but those are the ones that he reveals, at least. He makes a slight gesture with his right hand, the sleeve falling back around his hand, and then he slips his hand back to the small of his back. "Are there weapons that you have a wish to learn?" he asks, curious.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You're weird, but in a good way." Willow cocks her head sideways as she says it. "I used to go out with a werewolf, so take it as you wish."

And then it is her turn to listen.

."I've used a sword? But, really, they thought it was better to focus on getting out of trouble than fighting. I used a gun too. I guess I just want to fit in. Everyone seems overprotective of me, to the point I feel excluded from.. everything." She caught the prayer beads around his wrist. "Those are weapons? Please explain."

For now she doesn't answer his question properly.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a slow and owlish blink from the avian, and then a second one. And for a moment, he simply stares at her. Then a smile parts his beak and he chuckles softly, his hazel eyes showing a spark of amusement in them. "Weird, yes. I suppose that is a word that can well enough be used for me, now," he says softly, tilting his head a touch to one side as he regards her.

There is a soft sound as his wings shift behind him, and they unfurl with a flick of movement in order to stretch out briefly. The stretch is held for a second or two, and then his wings neatly fold and settle to his back once again. He lifts his left hand and makes a slight gesture. "There is something to be said for avoiding trouble or not landing into it. Sometimes, there is little choice in the matter. It is there, and it must be dealt with," he says softly. His beak snicks softly, and he gives a small nod. "I am familiar with guns, as well. Different types," he comments. At her comment of fitting in, his ear tufts lay back and his feathers slick down for a moment. He gives a small shake of his head. "Bu," he says, a touch firmly, his ear tufts rising and his feathers fluffing back up to a more relaxed stated. "No. Do not seek to fit in, to be as all others are. Be -you-. Be -different-," he says. There's something about the choice of words and the way they're spoken that perhaps hints towards experiences with something similar.

At her question, his right hand withdraws from behind his back, and a soft and graceful movement of his hand within his sleeve causes the sleeve to move up his arm and reveal the beads looped there once again. He watches her rather than looking towards them, and he gives a small nod. "Yes. They are weapons," he says softly. He shifts his hand, turning it smoothly to allow the loops to fall free until it is only one strand around his wrist. "They can be used to entangle weapons, to block strikes, to attack, and many other things. Many do not suspect them to be more than what they appear," he says softly, inclining his head towards her.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"But.." Willow sighs. "I love myself, really I do, but I sometimes.. You know the little matchbox girl, looking from the outside in? Sometimes I feel like that. Like my friends have moved on without me. I guess I need to find where I fit, or if I fit. You know?"

As he explains about the prayer beads, she gets excited. "See? That's cool." And immediately her face fell. "Hardly useful in my line of work." At first it seems 'her line of work' has nothing to do with fighting. She explains, "I hunt demons and vampires and the like. They usually don't use weapons.Wd do. They don't. An entangling weapon probably isn't helpful."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The avian shifts his wings slightly at his back, and he inclines his head towards her. "I am sorry, I am not familiar with a matchbox girl," Yaozu says softly. It is, perhaps, a difference in the culture that he grew up with. "We all have somewhere that we fit, somewhere that we belong. Yet fitting or belonging does not mean being alike to those who surround us, knowing the same things that they know. Find the weapon that fits you, and learn all you can of it," he says, tilting his head a touch to one side as he gazes at her. He is quiet for a moment then, simply watching her and studying her in that owlish way of his. "It is not easy to be different," he adds, inclining his head towards in what seems a respectful manner. It is easier to be different here than it is in China, and this is a thing that he is learning still.

He shifts the beads where they dangle by moving his hand slightly, his gaze turning towards the strand of them. There is a flicker of surprise that shows in his eyes when she mentions demons and vampires -- creatures that he has never seen the like of but which he has learned truly do exist and aren't merely fictional. "Weapons have advantages and disadvantages. It depends upon the fight itself, the skill of the wielder, the skill of those one fights against, and what weapons one fights against. This one, it can be used against those who are unarmed. It can catch a hand or foot as easily as it would a weapon, when wielded by one who knows how to use it," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He considers the string for a lingering moment, and then he deftly wraps them about his wrist once again. "I do not know what is best for fighting such things. If there are things which harm such creatures that would not harm you in turn, then you could apply the substance to the beads. A successful strike would do more harm, in that way. I am sorry, I am without knowledge about the things you fight against," he says in an apologetic tone, half bowing to her.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Vampires and demons.." And ghosts, and the like. "Prefer to use their hands, even when their opponents prefer to draw weapons. It's weird, it's like they don't know how. Mind you, that's when everybody wishes to keep me around. Beyond keeping them away from us, they also like to use magic against us."

Willow shrugs. "It's okay. It's really when we aren't hunting that I feel alone. And that isn't your problem!"

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Perhaps there is something that changes in their minds when they become no longer human," Yaozu suggests, a thoughtful tone to his voice. Then he gives a small shake of his head. "My knowledge of such creatures extends only far enough to know that they exist. I fear I have not had the opportunity to learn more than that, save for what you have shared with me now," he says, a small smile parting his beak.

"To be able to harness magic to your will is a unique and powerful weapon. I understand what it is like, to feel alone," Yaozu says softly, giving a small nod to her. He is largely unfamiliar with magic, even though he has some familiarity with abilities brought about by being Inhuman. He's quiet for a lingering moment, studying her, and he tilts his head to one side. "This one is curious," he says quietly, his gaze holding to her, "what can your magic do?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Then we are doing our job right." Willow gives a smile with that. She means it - not with a braggart telling, but with a true humility. "Most people will live out their lives never knowing what a vampire is, and that's cool. Well, from the movies!"

She watches him with a curious lilt to her face. "What can I do?" She thinks.

"Well, I've been working with my mentor. The biggest thing is warding. Some force lightning..Some ritual magic.." Her voice drops. "Once I performed one half of a portal to Akropolis, but that was long ago."

She didn't even know if it was true anymore.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The avian's feathery ear tufts perk a bit at her words, and then he gives a single nod after brief consideration. "This makes sense, yes. I would hope that most would not see such creatures or encounter them," he says softly. His gaze flicks briefly across the park, but easily returns to her. "Movie portrayals are not always true or accurate. A creature such as I, for instance, would be portrayed as an ill omen, a harbinger of death," he says softly. Though he should refer to himself as a person, as he was once human, he chooses the word 'creature' to use. He ducks his head, slightly, and then he lifts one of his shoulders in a small shrug. "I have not seen very many movies," he admits.

Softly, Yaozu moves his right hand to the small of his back once again. This is a familiar position for him, and it seems it is comfortable as well. The habit is similar to that of his shixiong, though uses the opposite hand. He doesn't understand a lot about magic, but he has a healthy sort of curiosity, and he listens attentively as she speaks of what she can do. "Warding is like a sort of shield, yes? To protect someone, or something, if my understanding is correct," Yaozu says softly, a bit uncertainly. "It is quite an array of magic to be able to wield. I suspect that there are likely other things that you are capable of," he adds, inclining his head towards her as a smile parts his beak. Never show all of one's cards, after all. He tilts his head a touch to one side, watching her unblinkingly. "What is Akropolis?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Akropolis? It is the home planet of the aliens who tried to take over the world. Only this time they were taking Superman hostage and were trying to raise an old god."

Willow informs him, "It's okay. Really the movies are silly. You haven't missed much."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
It is perhaps an odd thing, but Yaozu half bows to her when she explains about Akropolis. "Lin Yaozu must apologize, Miss Willow," he says softly, looking down for a moment before he lifts his gaze back to her. It is an oddity, that he refers to himself in the third person as he does. "The name had some familiarity, but I was not of enough rank or experience to be involved in what happened, to be fully advised of the situation," he adds, sounding slightly sheepish on the matter.

"Perhaps I will have to see what movies are available to watch now that I am here. I suspect that the assortment of them will be greater," Yaozu says softly, inclining his head towards her. There's a smile that follows the words, his beak parting with the expression. "I am still learning that things are different here."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"I'm a sucker for horror." Willow has grace enough to blush. What with her night job. "It's just so silly when you shine the real horrors." She blushes. "I laugh at them."

"The actual Akropolis attack I didn't take part in. I left it to the superheros, it just seemed too big for me. But when I was invited to figure out this problem years later, I did." In fact though they had brought in Constantine, Willow was /also/ invited to join because of her unique magical abilities.

"Can I ask you? Someone else I know refers to himself in the third person. Why do you do that?"

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The avian tilts his head to one side at her admission, and he gives a small nod to her words. "I imagine they must seem silly and perhaps somewhat contrived when compared to the real thing," he says softly, a thoughtful note to his voice. He studies her for a lingering moment, and his beak snicks softly. "What is it like, to fight such things?" he asks, a note of curiosity to his voice. He tends to fight against people in his missions rather than creatures the likes of what she has faced.

"It sounds as though it must have been quite something to have been part of. I heard the name, in passing only, and they would cease speaking of it once I was noticed," Yaozu comments. "It is difficult to imagine the scope of it and the number of people who were there," he adds.

At her question, he tilts his head to one side, that few degrees past human to make the gesture more avian in nature. His ear tufts perk up, and he gives a small nod. "You are welcome to ask as you wish, Miss Willow," he says softly, inclining his head towards her. He's quiet for a moment, considering her question for a moment. "It is a custom that originates in ancient China. To refer to one's self with 'I' is considered abrupt and rude. It is very direct. People would, for sake of politeness, go out of their way to appear humble. They would avoid as much as possible to refer to themselves as 'I'. Some will use their own name, others will use different terms to avoid it. It is something that would transcend rank, and even the Emperor would do so by referring to himself as 'gu' or 'guaren', terms that mean 'this orphan'," he explains, a touch of curiosity to his voice. "My own use of it is not constant. It seems to come when I am being more formal. Offering an apology, or asking a question that I think is personal, or things of this nature."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Weird. Because in this culture, to refer to oneself in the third person, smacks of haughtiness. Well, most of the time." She files that away about Zhihao. And it sounds like a truthful bit. Surely he wouldn't have chosen to do it as part of a hoax?

Curiouser and curiouser.

She continues. "And it was. But, again, I didn't have anything to do with the original invasion. The one I helped with was very small, and was around Superman only. Two different things!"

But she has to think about the final question. What /is/ it like to battle a demon lord.. or a vampire? Really?

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"For those who are of Chinese descent, the use of it is very seldom meant in such a way. It has become less common, but it still occurs. My grandparents would speak so much more often than what I do. It is from older times," Yaozu says softly. "It is a difference of culture and a difference of language, as well," he adds, lifting one of his shoulders in a faint shrug. To speak in the third person is a a thing that, to him, is quite commonplace as opposed to being a rarity to hear.

He tilts his head to one side as she speaks somewhat further of the situation, and his wings lightly shift at his back. "While they are two different things, they are both of significant magnitude. And to contribute would require power that is significant," he says softly, inclining his head slightly towards her.

"Shall I walk you home, Miss Willow?" he offers. While they've been talking, twilight has stretched to darkness.