14050/A New World and a Meeting

A New World and a Meeting
Date of Scene:	03 January 2022
Location:	Central Park, Manhattan
Synopsis:	New friends are met. Old friends are broken. New friends are broken. Self is broken? How'd /this/ happen???
Cast of Characters:	Bai Wuyun, Kit Killovarras, Shen Wei

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Bai Wuyun has posed:
The expanse of Central Park is layered with some few inches of snow like a pristine blanket of white. It is a brisk night, a couple of degrees below zero Celcius. It's somewhere near to midnight, and the sky is dark and studded with glittering stars. There's a bright moon in the sky, white and round, and it casts its silvery light down to the world below. The park is nearly entirely empty, for few come to it at such an hour of night.

It is a different world than the one that he is used to, and yet it has some similarities to the world he knows as well. The Haixingren stands near to flowing burble of a stream, the edges of which are icy and crystalline. His hands rest lightly at the small of his back, his right hand atop of his left hand. Bai Wuyun seems peaceful and calm, and there is a trail of footsteps through the snow that leads to where he stands. The man is dressed in a sort of odd fashion, wearing a set of silk robes that covers the majority of his skin, the robes themselves perhaps seeming ancient and perhaps seeming a touch alien. His hair is gathered up and twisted into a coil that's pinned with a hairstick carved with clouds at one end.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Well, this is the yeen's normal hunting ground, so it's not a real surprise when he stumbles onto the calm individual. He studies them for a moment from the darkness, his normal clothing helping him to blend into his surroundings as he observes them.

Then his ears twitch as he catches the sound of the figure and tilts his head slightly, mouthing something to himself silently before he finally decides to approach, keeping his distance and announcing himself with a simple, "You're not from around here, are you?"

Bai Wuyun has posed:
This world feels different than his home planet does. Yet that is to be expected, given the differences that exist. If he is aware at all of the individual that studies him from the darkness, there is no sign of it. He simply remains standing as he is, at the side of the burbling little stream. His dark gaze tracks the stream back a short distance, and then he lifts his gaze to the star-studded black sky. Somewhere beyond that black sky, beyond the planets that orbit this galaxy's sun, is where his home happens to be.

His hands slip softly away from one another in order to move them to his sides. And as he hears the voice from nearby, his gaze lowers from the sky and turns towards the source of the voice. His head tilts a touch to one side, and though there is a flicker of surprise that chases through his dark eyes, there is no other sign of it in him. Perhaps he's accustomed to oddities. "No. I am not from around here," Bai Wuyun says, his voice soft but rich, a low baritone. Though the words are his, they come translated through a translator device that speaks in his own voice -- he hasn't learned English as of yet and speaks in his native language. He lifts his right hand and seems to pluck a lollipop from out of the very air itself, his left hand rising to pull off the wrapper and reveal the black globe of candy, which he slips into his mouth.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The aardwolf gives a little nod, keeping his paws in his hoodie as he muses, "I figured since I've never met someone with two heart beats who wasn't... Round." with a little chuckle. The materializing of candy does not go unnoticed, but he just sort of shrugs at it.

Eventually he gives a thoughtful look before asking, "So, alien or spirit?" rather bluntly.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
One of his eyebrows quirks up a touch as he studies the one who speaks with him. Keeping his mouth closed, his tongue lightly moves around the globe of candy, the stick of it moving where it extends past his lips. He claims the stick between the fingers of his right hand, then withdraws the lollipop. "Round?" he inquires, a touch of curiosity to his voice. His exposure to other species is limited, despite being an alien himself.

Bai Wuyun slips the lollipop back into his mouth, and the fact that his tongue toys with the candy is obvious by the movement of the stick. He uses his tongue to push the candy past his teeth, so it's at his cheek. "I am an alien, to here," he says in a thoughtful tone. "And I have two heart beats because I have two hearts," he adds, a hint of a smile touching at the corners of his lips. He lifts his left hand, withdrawing the lollipop once more. "I am called Bai Wuyun," he offers, inclining his head slightly towards the aardwolf.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit actually laughs a little as he nods and muses, "Pregnant.. Long story.." shaking his head with a little smile. "And yeah I figured as much from the sound, though people from this planet generally only have one." Then he pulls back his hood, letting his ears up as he adds, "People from this planet also.. don't look like me generally." with a glance to Bai. "Bai Wuyun, pleasure to meet you. I'm Kit."

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"Ah," Bai Wuyun says softly, giving a small nod. "That would make much sense, yes. I have had the opportunity to hear the heartbeat of the unborn before, though it has been some time since the last time. You have keen ears to have known by sound," he comments, a small smile touching at the corners of his lips. He slips the lollipop back into his mouth, his tongue toying about with the candy. The rate of his heartbeat and breathing seem calm and at ease, likely what would be considered normal for him. "I have not met others from here. Just you," he says softly, a thoughtful note to his voice.

He takes a moment to look over Kit, and he tilts his head faintly to one side. "What do people from here look like, if not as you?" he asks, a curious note to his voice. Then he gives a small nod to Kit. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Kit," he adds, giving a small nod. He plucks the lollipop free, to make a slight gesture with it. "Would you like one?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit nods ever so slightly as he wiggles his ears a little, "Comes with having such big ears," he says with a little grin, then pulls a phone out of his pocket, taps the screen a few times and offers the image of an average every day person to Bai. "Most of them look like that, some of us have different looks."

Then an offer of candy and the Aardwolf pauses for a moment before giving a shrug and a smile. "Sure."

Bai Wuyun has posed:
There is a glance towards those wiggling ears, and Bai Wuyun gives a single nod to the words. "Yes. I would expect they catch many sounds for you, both large and small," he says softly, his tone thoughtful. He is quiet for a moment, his gaze turning towards the stream. "I suspect that my hearing would be, for the most part, rather mundane in comparison," he adds. Except for when he has a feline's ears, that is.

His attention turns back to the aardwolf with the words that go along with the screen of the device being turned towards him, his gaze turning to the image on the screen. He tilts his head just a touch to one side. "They do not appear much different than what those of my home do," he says, a touch of curiosity coming to his voice. He lifts his right hand, a soft whisper of silk against silk accompanying the motion. "Is there a flavour you would prefer over others? I have many," he offers, a hint of a smile touching at the corners of his lips.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"It seems like 'Humanoid' is a fairly common shape for people to take, regardless of where they're from." Kit says with a little nod. "I've met a couple others who weren't originally from this world and all but one of them has looked rather human." Then comes the question of a preferred flavor and the aardwolf just tilts his head ever so slightly before giving a shrug, musing, "Surprise me." with a playful little grin.

After all, he's always up for trying new things, even if that trait has gotten him in trouble at least once.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"I have met some others who are not from my home. Not many, yet," Bai Wuyun says. The fingers of his right hand move slightly, and the first finger of that hand almost seems as though it taps upon the empty air a trio of times. Weighing the options, perhaps. "We are not a very travelled people," he muses, that slight smile barely tugging at the corners of his lips.

One of his eyebrows quirks up as his dark gaze studies the aardwolf. "Surprise you, hmm?" he muses. He deftly plucks a pair of lollipops from out of thin air, or so it would seem, his fingers closing on the sticks as he withdraws them. He offers them forth, the sticks held trapped between his fingers and his hand facing palm up. "One for now, and one for later," he offers, inclining his head slightly. One of them is black and orange swirled together, and the other one is brown and pink and white swirled together.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit takes the lollipops and studies them for a moment, then slips the black and orange one away for later. The brown, pink and white one though gets wrapped up in a long tongue as he pulls the treat into his maw. "Neither are we, honestly.." he says in response to Bai's species not being well traveled.

Then he takes note of the flavor of the candy and there's a little chuckle as he muses, "Well, this is going to be amusing. Wonder if chocolate flavoring will do the same thing as strait chocolate." with a playful little grin. Then he gives Bai a glance and a thin smile, "Where'd you pick up the ability to materialize things?"

Bai Wuyun has posed:
There is a smile that turns at the corners of his lips as the lollipops are accepted, and he inclines his head to Kit. He lifts his own lollipop, which to a sensitive nose might be detected as being anise flavoured, and he slips it back into his mouth. His tongue, should one be inclined to notice, has picked up some of the colour of the black orb of sugary sweetness. "Sometimes, it is perceived to be the safer course of action. If one does not venture far then one will not draw attenton to one's self or one's home," Bai Wuyun says, his tone falling thoughtful once again.

"Oh? Chocolate is a problem?" he asks softly, a touch of concern rising to his voice at that. "I believe the composition of it is chemically different between flavouring and actual chocolate," he adds, his brow furrowing just a touch. His expression clears at the question asked of him, and he tilts his head faintly to one side. "Ah, well," he begins, pausing for a moment to make a slight gesture with his right hand, "It is less materializing things and more simply taking them out, so to speak." He is quiet a moment, as though perhaps to allow the aardwolf a moment to consider that. "It could perhaps best be said that I have a pocket, of sorts. There are a number of things kept within it, and I withdraw the items at will," he explains.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a little nod from the yeen and he gives an amused grin as he explains, "My body can't metabolize chocolate normally, so it acts like a drug in my system. Small amounts are fine, but I can't exactly eat a chocolate bar without people thinking I'm stoned." There's a little shrug and he adds, "So long as the chemical that does that isn't in the flavoring though, it's fine."

The explanation of the 'pocket' gets a tilt of his head and perked ears, then he nods and muses, "So, an extra-dimensional storage space. That's actually pretty clever." Then he holds out a paw and focuses a bit of energy, not enough to have much of an effect beyond a ripple of violet electricity dancing across his fur. "I've actually been trying to learn how to do something similar, but I don't think my magic is going to allow for it."

Bai Wuyun has posed:
The Haixingren fellow tilts his head a touch to one side as the explanation is made in regards to chocolate, and then he gives a small nod. "Ah. That is a bit of an odd reaction to have happen. And interesting, at the same time," he comments, a smile quirking at the corners of his lips. "I do not know what chemical it might be that causes such to happen within you nor do I know what might be present within the flavouring, but if it does occur then I may be able to help. I cannot guarantee that I can help, but... perhaps. Your physiology is not the same as mine own or those of my people, it may not work the same," he muses, his brow furrowing briefly. His expression clears after a moment, and the lollipop is tucked into his mouth, toyed at with his tongue.

"Something akin to that, yes. It holds a limited amount of things within it, and nothing that is alive will survive it," he says, a smile quirking his lips. He's tried to put living things in it before, years ago. It didn't work out so well for them. As he senses the magic being brought forth, he tilts his head a touch to one side, a flicker of curiosity chasing through his dark eyes as his gaze falls to the paw where it manifests. There is interest that reflects in his eyes, his gaze following the movement of that ripple of electricity. "Intriguing. Electricity magic?" he asks, as though to confirm his own suspicion. "Your magic may or may not allow for it, I could not say with certainty. Perhaps something more akin to a net, although you may need to be careful of what is put within it as the magic may bleed, so to speak," he says in a thoughtful tone.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Dimensional, actually." Kit says, answering the question about the nature of his magic. "My body acts like a lens and pulls energy from other dimensions. It manifests as a purple energy." Then he gives a little sigh, looking at the water for a moment as an orb of it collects and rises off the surface. "And yeah, pocket dimensions aren't usually a good place to store living things." he adds with a little chuckle, then gives a glance to Bai and tilts his head. "The chemical that does it is called Theobromine. Most species on this planet can't digest it without side-effects. Only humans and a select few species that are genetically similar."

Bai Wuyun has posed:
One of Bai Wuyun's eyebrows quirks up a touch at the revelation of the magic being dimensional, and he inclines his head slightly towards the aardwolf. "My apologies. It appears electrical in nature when it manifests," he says softly, lifting a hand to gesture a touch towards where it had appeared. His gaze follows the aardwolf's towards the water, and he tilts his head a touch to one side as he watches that orb of it rise from the surface. "Most interesting," he says quietly, a breath of curiosity touching his voice. The fingers of his right hand move just a touch before he lifts his hand to take hold of the lollipop's stick, drawing the candy from within his mouth. And even as he makes the motion, there's a second orb of water that rises off the surface of the water. That one is not controlled by any power over water but is, instead, encapsulated within a layer of air wrapped around it.

Bai Wuyun turns his gaze back to Kit, and he chuckles softly before tucking the lollipop back into his mouth, nodding once as he does so. "It is not. But it is a remarkably effective way to ensure that one's belongings or food supplies will not become infested with any manner of creature," he comments, sounding amused at that. "Theobromine," he repeats, considering the word and the what the chemical it stands for can be responsible for. "I will have to do some research on it, perhaps," he adds, giving a single nod. It's a curious thing, really, how such a thing could exist yet only be digested by such a select and small slice of species.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit gives a little nod and chuckles, "It does, you're not the first to think my power is electrical and I doubt you'll be the last." Then he gives a little shrug and lets his orb settle back into the water. "I mean, yeah. I'm guessing it can also be used to preserve some foods as well, since most of the microbes that lead to decay probably wouldn't survive a pocket dimension either."

He does watch the second orb for a moment, studying the energy that causes it for a moment before he gives Bai Wuyun another glance. "Manipulation of air?" he asks curiously, quirking a brow ever so slightly.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"Based on the appearance of it, it seems as though it would be a fairly common misinterpretation of it to make," Bai Wuyun comments, a smile touching his lips. He inclines his head slightly towards Kit. "I doubt I will be the last as well," he adds in agreement. The words he speaks are yet in his native language, and the translator he has continues to do as it's designed to -- repeating them in English. What Kit says is translated and fed into one of his ears via an earbud, so at least that part isn't aloud. "I am able to store food and drink and similar such things within it, and they do not age or spoil whilst they are there," he offers, explaining at least that bit more of it. "It is rather useful."

His attention shifts to the orb that he controls, and he tilts his head a touch to one side for a moment before his gaze shifts to Kit. There is a moment after the question in which he simply studies the aardwolf, and then he gives a single nod. "Yes. I have been able to control it for many years. It is... different, here, in many ways," he comments. The first part of that statement might well make a person wonder just how old Bai Wuyun happens to be, given that he doesn't look as though he's lived for as many years as what might have been implied. The water is released from the orb of air as he releases his control on the air.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Probably because the composition of air tends to be different depending on the world. Sort of how my magic wouldn't work quite the same if I were placed in a different dimension." Well, at least he doesn't seem like he's getting stoned off the flavoring, so that's a good thing.

After a few moments, Kit gives Bai another glance and asks, "How long does your species typically live? If you don't mind my asking.." curiously. Leave it to someone like him to always be asking questions.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"Yes. The air itself is different, in the composition of it, the concentrations of the various elements within it. And it is different on account of that gravity is different, here," Bai Wuyun says, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He speaks around the lollipop, though the candy is tucked into one of his cheeks so that it's less in the way. And the translator still properly translates what he says into English for Kit. "It is a different amount of push or pull, of energy that is required to accomplish things. It will take some getting used to," he muses, giving a single nod.

He tilts his head a touch to one side as he studies the aardwolf, and he lifts his right hand up, past the side of his neck and around to the back of his head, slightly turning his head as he does. His fingers claim the hairstick pinning his hair all coiled together, and he eases it free of his hair before tucking the hairstick away into that 'pocket' where the lollipops had come from. There's a moment, and then his hair starts to uncoil and fall down over his back and further, reaching his knees in length. "I do not mind the question. Barring ill incidents and other similar things that might cut a life short, we see between three and four hundred years in one lifetime," he says, a smile touching at the corners of his lips.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit gives a little nod and a faint smile dances across his maw as he muses, "So not quite as long as my own species, but far longer than humans." he says with a quiet chuckle. "Humans typically live between sixty and eighty, though some have lived to be a little over one hundred years."

There's a little flick of his ear as he tilts his head, repeating one of the simpler words 'Life' in Bai's dialect, though there's a very, VERY obvious accent. Then he gives Bai a glance and a little smile as he adds, "Pretty language. Hell of a translation device too, common tech where you're from?"

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"There are outliers, where age is concerned, amongst my people as well. There have been those who have lived for longer than four hundred years, but on average, it is within that range," Bai Wuyun says, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He turns his head slightly, looking out across the park for a long moment, and then he brings his attention back to Kit. "It... sounds like a short life, in comparison, yet... there are many things that might cut a life short," he adds, a thoughtful tone to his voice. There is a shadow that touches the words, for he knows from his own experience of some things that might end a life.

One of his eyebrows quirks up as that word of his own language is repeated by Kit, a flicker of surprise chasing through his eyes. "You have an ear for the language?" Bai Wuyun asks, a hint of amusement touching the question. He gives a small shake of his head at the question, and then he soft chuckles. "Ah, no. The translation device is not the technology of my people. Whose technology it is, I could not say. My people do not generally have a reason for translating other languages, for we do not typically encounter others. The device was given to me by Shen Wei. I know only the language of my people, so it is necessary until I have learned others," he says, a smile touching at the corners of his lips.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit just nods ever so slightly and explains, "I'm no linguist, but I had to learn to at very least mimic languages at times." with a little smile and the faintest of shrugs. "Words have power, after all. Especially those which few are willing to speak." Then the yeen pauses for a moment and studies Bai Wuyun, tilting his head and decides to test the limits of the translation device. "Verba quae metum inferunt, saepe dicuntur voces quae ex ea vi haurire norunt." he says with a little smile.

Then he gives a nod and admits, "Humans do live short lives, though even if they have so little of it, they do so much with the time they're given." he says, looking at the water as he tilts his head. "Sort of a thing I suppose, when you don't know how much time you truly have left."

Translation (Latin): 'Words which bring fear are often spoken by those who know how to draw from that power.'

Shen Wei has posed:
For Shen Wei, he knows the languages of both peoples on his planet, plus a fair number from his years as a bounty hunter in the far reaches of the galaxy. As it is presently dark, the Dixingren is not wearing his goggles today. And as he's not on a Hunt, his face is also bare. Normally silent at a walk, snow prevents that. And so Shen Wei's presence as he approaches is announced by a quiet creak with every step he takes. "Kree." Wait. What? Is that some odd comment in the language of the Dixingren people of their planet? Either way, his voice is soft, almost gentle. And his expression as he takes in things that are new is filled with a bit of wonder.

He tilts his head at the Latin spoken, but comments not. He is dressed in a heavy coat, the hood pulled up to obscure his hair and a good portion of his face. "It does not translate Dixingren, only Haixingren. My people.." Shen Wei shakes his head. His people, at the time, were considered something of an inferior, or second class, species, and so their language hadn't been accounted for.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"To mimic the words of a language without understanding what it is that you are saying might turn out to be a dangerous thing," Bai Wuyun comments, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He inclines his head slightly towards the aardwolf. "Fear is oft used as a weapon. Many things are, or can be. As you have said, words have power. And power can be a dangerous thing," he muses, a hint of a smile touching at the corners of his lips. He tilts his head faintly to one side, considering the Latin that is spoken and translated. "Power can be a difficult burden to bear, regardless of the form of it," he muses, a thoughtful tone to his voice.

He tilts his head a touch to one side, and there's a shadow that flicker through his eyes at a part of what Kit says. "Even those who live long lives are not gifted with the foresight to know when it ends," he says softly. He should know -- he's died once before. "Whether short lived or long lived, we all seek to do what we can with the time that we have. It is the nature of living," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice.

His chin slightly lowers, and he faintly turns his head as he senses Shen Wei's teleportation and arrival. There is a subtle shift of his weight, from something that was neutral to something that becomes a bit more... aware. And once Shen Wei is closer, he inclines his head slightly towards him. "Shen Wei," he offers in greeting, a smile touching at the corners of his lips. Then one of his eyebrows quirks up. "Who or what are Kree?" he asks, curious. There are a great many things he doesn't know.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit gives Bai Wuyun a glance and quirks a brow ever so slightly, then his lips pull into a little smile as he muses, "There is one though, who does know how much time they have left. One of the most powerful beings on this planet, who can see the flow of time through both this and every other dimension." Then he gives a little shrug and chuckles. "But, then again that's a burden that few would want. Knowing when you'll die would be more a curse than a gift, in my opinion."

There's a moment where the fur along the back of his neck lifts, but the aardwolf doesn't seem too terribly worried by the teleportation. The sound of the crunching snow though gets his ears to flick a little as he tilts his head. "Teleportation is a useful skill." Then he turns to look at Shen, his eyes still glowing with that pale violet light in the darkness of the evening. There's a momentary twitch of his nose before he tilts his head ever so slightly, the combination of turn and tilt making it look rather uncomfortable for a moment before he goes back to looking at the water.

"Curiouser and curiouser," the yeen says with a little laugh. "One of you smells like a demon while the other smells like some sort of..." There's another little twitch of his nose and he gives Bai another glance, actually leaning ever so slightly closer for a moment, his nose wiggling again for a moment before he suddenly pauses. It takes him a moment of thought before he suddenly turns to face Shen entirely and asks, "Are you a Necromancer...?" sounding rather curious now.

Shen Wei has posed:
And yet, Shen Wei doesn't answer the question immediately. The greeting gets nothing more than a slight inclination of his head. Then he points up. To the branches overhead? The sky above? Something beyond? Shen Wei isn't obvious about whatever it is he's pointed at. His expression shutters, neutral, revealing little. What little shows looks almost.. sad. Grieving.

There's a soft sound, agreement perhaps, but nothing more than that. Teleportation really is a useful skill. He stands still now, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat. Huddling forward a little bit as though he's cold. What can be seen of his face takes on a faint curious look as the yeen tilts his head. A quiet snort, lips curling ever so slightly, at the mention of a demon. He's been called worse, has Shen Wei.

As the aardwolf turns to face him so suddenly, Shen Wei tenses, visibly, and shadows glimmer at the fingertips of his right hand as he holds it out to the side. From within the shadows emerges a dark sword, appearing in less than the time it takes to draw in a breath. In the time of a thought, the sword has come up into a guard position and Shen Wei has moved to stand protectively between the aardwolf and Bai Wuyun. "What is a necromancer?" This is a word Shen Wei is unfamiliar with, and his tone is guarded and wary.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
"They are welcome to the knowledge. I have no wish of it, not now or ever. That sort of power should not be known," Bai Wuyun says softly, giving a small shake of his head. His gaze holds to Kit for a long moment before he turns to look aside and across the park for a long moment, his brow furrowed slightly. "It would not have changed anything," he says quite quietly. Then he gives a small shake of his head before his gaze returns to Kit. He offers no explanation about the comment.

He inclines his head slightly towards Kit, and a small smile touches at the corners of his lips. "Yes. Teleportation is quite useful. I am not gifted with it," he comments. One of his eyebrows quirks up at the aardwolf's words, and he tilts his head a touch to one side. "Mm? What is it that you find so curious? What do you smell?" he asks softly, studying Kit for a long moment. He doesn't seem to mind being sniffed at such a close range, interestingly enough.

Bai Wuyun turns his dark gaze to Shen Wei, and he studies the Dixingren. He isn't entirely sure what's being indicated by that point up, but it's not something he's about to chase after right now. Even though the feline part of him would very much like to gnaw on that bone. His gaze flicks briefly down towards Shen Wei's right hand when the blade is summoned as the Dixingren moves to stand betwixt himself and Kit, and he raises an eyebrow slightly. "Shen Wei, peace, please," he says softly. "He is curious. Put away the sword, please. 'Smells like' does not mean 'is'. You are no demon," he says softly, the words sincere. "I do not know what a 'necromancer' is but he and I have been speaking a little while. Asking and answering questions of each other. This is not harmful, all is well," he adds, stepping forward and to one side of Shen Wei.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The sudden appearance of the sword has Kit's fur standing strait up, his ears perked forward as a sudden crackle of violet energy rips across the tips of every strand. The tips of his claws practically drip with that same light. He doesn't make the first move, but he's just as ready to fight as Shen is, but when Bai steps between him and the swordsman, the aardwolf's fur slowly starts to lower, the energy fading from his claw-tips as he explains, "A necromancer is someone who brings the dead back to life, often with the aid of a demons power." There's a moment of pause as he tilts his head slightly, then muses, "You smell like you've been to hell more than once, sulfur and deep earth tend to leave a lasting scent, no matter how hard you scrub."

Then he'll look to Bai, studying him for a long few moments before his nose wrinkles a little and he explains, "You smell like a feline, or at least similar to one, but I can smell.. Something. A god or devil, but nothing from any of the pantheons I've ever heard of." There's a little pause and the aardwolfs ears actually fall just a little as he adds, "Death leaves a scent too. I missed it at first, but when you combine it with sulfur it's.. Sort of hard to ignore."

Shen Wei has posed:
Really, it's no wonder Shen Wei had ran away. In one battle, one confrontation, his lover had killed Shen Wei's twin brother, and then been killed by the power that consumed his life force. That day, Shen Wei had lost everything he held dear. He? He would change everything, if offered even half a chance to do so. The part about teleportation brings Shen Wei to look oddly at Bai Wuyun calling it a 'gift'. That wasn't how it had been perceived when the Haixingren had been teleported by Shen Wei!

Even as he faces the aardwolf, the fear scent doesn't ease, and the fear can be seen in his expression. There's a reason he always masks his face when he's hunting bounties. He bares his teeth a little bit at Bai Wuyun. "But I am a demon," he grates out through teeth clenched hard together. But he does relax when essentially asked to calm down. The blade dips, lowering until the point is toward the ground, and away from the aardwolf.

"I do not have that power," he says. Some of the fear is leaching away. But it's still there, under the surface. The shadows hide the blade once again, and Shen Wei tucks his hands back into his pockets. He turns away, breathing deeply of the stillness, the cold night air. "My people evolved in the deep places of our planet. Dixing. Underground. Dixingren. People of the underground." His voice has gone back to being soft, but there's a thread of darkness through it.

He listens for a few moments more, about the smells being described. The god or devil of an unknown pantheon gets little reaction. But the death? Shen Wei bunches up his shoulders. He shakes his head and starts walking. With his back still toward the other two, he walks away. Shoulders hunched and head down. This is clearly a painful topic for Shen Wei. It's unsurprising. Talking that much probably traumatized him, given how little he's said in Bai Wuyun's presence since the rescue! Whatever the real reason for him walking, Shen Wei shows no sign of stopping.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
The violet energy dancing across Kit's fur and claws is something which assuredly captures Bai Wuyun's attention for a moment. Yet he gives his head a brief shake. He doesn't want this to devolve into a fight, for blood to be shed from any of them. As the aardwolf's fur settles and the energy fades, he inclines his head slightly towards Kit. And he listens as the concept of a necromancer is explained. One of his eyebrows quirks upwards, and there is a flicker of surprise to touch in his dark eyes, but then he gives a small shake of his head, a movement that causes a ripple to pass through his long raven-hued hair.

He lifts a hand, to indicate Shen Wei. "He is no demon. He is Shen Wei," Bai Wuyun says. Then he looks to Shen Wei, and he inclines his head slightly. "Save for when you are on the battlefield, Shen Wei... you are no demon. When you take to battle then you are Hei'an," he adds, a small smile ghosting at the corners of his lips. He's quiet for a moment then, watching Shen Wei as the weapon is vanished into shadows again. Then he gives a small nod, to agree with Shen Wei's words. "Yes. It is the underground. The deep places below where no light reaches, where there is only darkness and death waiting behind every rock. Pitfalls and creatures waiting to kill you at every turn," he says softly, the words ringing true. "There are a great many things that I wish for in this life. To know now what I knew then is but one of them."

He looks out over the park for a moment, his brow slightly furrowed and a touch of a frown tugging at the corners of his lips. He doesn't remember the details of his death, though that's perhaps not a bad thing. "Death leaves a mark. On those it touches, and on everyone who knew that person," he says quietly, his gaze turning to Shen Wei as the Dixingren starts to walk away. "Death took me. Three days, three nights. Then I woke. We do not speak of it," he adds in a quieter tone. Then he gives a small shake of his head. He takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a fog of breath. He lifts his voice, so it will reach Shen Wei's ears, "Shen Wei. Please, come back. We will speak of it no further."

"As for the feline," he begins, pausing there to lift one of his shoulders in a faint shrug. He shifts his weight slightly and takes a couple of steps back. It may well seem an odd thing for him to do. Yet, he needs the space. His chin lowers just a touch, concentrating on... something. A soft nimbus of light grows around him, to obscure him, and the light grows to a much larger size. There's a sort of flickering swirl of it, and then the light fades away... from around a very large feline shape. He chuffs a foggy breath out through his nose, and then he shakes himself from head to tails -- for there are five of them.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit gives a glance to Bai and quirks a brow at the comment of 'we do not speak of it', then turns his attention to the departing Shen and actually gives a quiet little laugh. "You're no demon. You might smell like one, but you're far from it. Demons don't know fear, they don't stand down or try to flee." There's a little bit of a pause, enough for the yeen to shrug and pull a fairly bare lollipop stick out of his maw before continuing with, "Besides, I see you, you don't have a face like theirs and you certainly aren't wearing one of their veils."

The yeen slips his paws back into the pocket of his hoodie, looking to Bai and watching the display of fog and light, watching the transformation and when the giant feline form is revealed? A normal person might run away or look worried, but the yeen just smiles and muses. "Pretty.." then turns his attention to Shen and adds, "Oh yeah.. Demons don't understand love either.. It's a foreign concept to them, but it's not to you. You were willing to fight to protect him, even though the idea of it terrifies you." Then he gives one of those warm little smiles of his before he adds, "I recognized it because, I'd do the same for mine in a heartbeat."

Shen Wei has posed:
If he /was/ a necromancer, Shen Wei wouldn't have hesitated to bring Bai Wuyun back to life. Alas, he doesn't know, and hasn't ever, had that sort of power. The assertion from the Haixingren that he is no demon is met with a shake of his head. How long had Bai Wuyun's people called Shen Wei's 'demons'? How long had the two races on the planet been at war before the final one that took Bai Wuyun's life? These things aren't asked aloud, but they all but hang around Shen Wei like a shroud.

Darkness and death waiting behind every rock is a good way to put it. Because that's how the places beneath the surface of Haixing are. The underground is death. They do not speak of Bai Wuyun's death because for Shen Wei it brings up all the terrible memories of having to watch the people he loved most die. And nothing, absolutely nothing, he could do about it, despite his vaunted power. Power? What good had it done him? None. Absolutely none.

But Shen Wei doesn't stop. He doesn't even slow. His shoulders hunch further, his head drops lower, until it seems all he watches is the ground at his feet. Demons. Shen Wei pauses and glances back, over his shoulder. He shakes his head again. Demons here might not be like that, but the demons that are his people? They do. He turns away, head still lowered. But he doesn't walk any further. Not just yet, at least.

When the concept of love is brought up, Shen Wei flinches visibly. His posture says he might well be screwing his eyes shut tightly. He is doing that. "Love," he says, soft, low. "Love is nothing more than a blade the gods use to rip us to pieces." He starts walking again, still moving away. Hands still stuffed into his own pockets. Head still down. But the steps are slower than they had been before. Someone might be just a little bit jaded about the whole concept of love.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
There is a small smile that touches his lips at the words Kit shares. He listens to the logic that Kit shares in regards to demons, and he gives a small nod, for the words seem fitting to such creatures. And not fitting to what he knows of Shen Wei. The revealed lollipop stick gets a glance, but no greater amount of his attention than that. And in those moments, he is quiet. Attentive and listening, his gaze upon Shen Wei.

A normal person, faced with a feline of such size, might very well run or be concerned for their life. The feline that is Bai Wuyun tilts his head to one side and then slightly inclines it towards Kit at the compliment. Five tails flicker behind him, each moving independently of the other, moving softly from one side to the other. There is a soft rumble of sound that rises from deep in his chest, for Shen Wei's protectiveness of him is something he had also noticed. There is a glance that he casts towards Kit, but then his gaze turns to Shen Wei.

In this form, there are no words that he can offer. His head lowers slightly, and he quietly pads forward, towards Shen Wei, to seek to catch up to him. He knows well that Shen Wei can elude him so very easily with his teleportation. His approach isn't silent, not with the snow that crunches beneath the weight of the feline form he wears. A soft and warm rumble of sound rises from him as he gets closer to Shen Wei, and once he's near -- if he gets near enough, he lowers his nose to attempt to very lightly touch one of Shen Wei's shoulders. Love might leave wounds, but all wounds can be healed with time. Sometimes, a lot of time. If he had loved Shen Wei once, in a time he doesn't remember, then could he not come to love him again?

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Absolute silence, that's what the yeens magic allows for at times and when Shen starts walking again? That's about when a ball of snow hits the poor man in the back, one packed so softly that it would explode into a shower of fine powder upon impact. "Come off it," the aardwolf says in response to the jaded mans words. "I get it, losing someone you care about is painful, but /something/ out there decided to give you both another chance, that's not something you waste by sulking and dwelling on the past."

Yup, the yeen can be blunt as a spoon and a little reckless... Ok, VERY reckless, but oh well, Shen's attitude seems to have strangely enough gotten under his skin a little. "But, if you insist on being a fool and letting old wounds hold you back.." there's an almost devious grin that spreads across the yeens maw as he finishes the thought. "I mean, I sort of have a thing for cats." Oh no, now he's just being a dick, but everything about what he's doing is designed to screw with someones emotions.

Maybe he's trying to prove a point? Maybe he's suicidal? Who knows.

Shen Wei has posed:
Absolute silence indeed. But when faced with another who can sense magic? It's just a ball of snow. Shen Wei doesn't even try to avoid it. Nor does he try to avoid Bai Wuyun, curiously enough. He even stops again, and lifts his left hand to ever so lightly trace his fingers over the cat's muzzle. "The man I knew is dead," he says softly.

Shen Wei turns and faces the cat. "You look like him. Sound like him. Smell like him." Shen Wei blows out a breath. "But everything is gone, and I don't know how to start over again. I don't know if I have it in me to start over again."

Shen Wei looks past the cat and fixes a look on Kit. His dark eyes hold to the aardwolf in a way that says he can see perfectly well in the darkness, too. "If you think you can take him, by all means." He steps aside and waves a hand at Bai Wuyun. But there's something there. Something almost mischievous. Something almost expectant. The hand he'd been touching the cat's muzzle with is tucked back into his pocket.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
There's a slight movement of one of his ears at the snowball sent to fly in Shen Wei's direction. It is a harmless thing, and he knows well that Shen Wei could avoid it if he wished to. That he lets the snowball strike him is a curious thing. To him, at least. One of his ears turns towards Kit, listening to the words that are said by him -- words that are entirely true, and incredibly blunt. Something did give them a second chance -- whatever it was, for whatever reason. Bai Wuyun doesn't have any of the answers for it.

The words from Shen Wei are also true. The man Shen Wei knew is dead. Bai Guang died. And then he was given life again and became who he is now -- Bai Wuyun. When Shen Wei stops, he does as well, and that light touch of fingers to his muzzle draws him to lower his head. His eyes half close, and those five tails seem to still somewhat as a sense of contentment comes over the feline. He can offer no argument to any part of what Shen Wei has said. A small bit of breath is exhaled, chuffed lightly out his nose.

As Shen Wei faces him, he lowers his head a touch more, to bring his nose to the Dixingren's chest level. There's a soft rumble that rises from him, and he gently pushes his nose forward in order to try to nudge Shen Wei's chest, a warm breath exhaled at the same time. He is, as always he must be, mindful of the horn. One step at a time is the answer to how to start over again. One brick at a time is how a foundation is laid. It was a simple touch, that contact of Shen Wei's fingers upon his muzzle. But it had been a touch, and that may just be the first brick, of sorts, that Shen Wei has put into place.

A moment after Shen Wei has turned his attention to Kit, the feline shifts his weight. Did he hear what he thought he heard? One of his ears flicks at the words, and his tongue flicks out to lick his nose briefly. He turns with soft steps to be standing next to the Dixingren, facing Kit, and his head lowers as he rumbles in a soft tone. Then one of his long tails moves forward to lightly brush Shen Wei's back before seeking to settle at Shen Wei's side. He doesn't move away from Shen Wei, and there's nothing in his body language that speaks of any sort of impending doom.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
That devious grin remains for a moment before his tongue just barely pokes out from between his teeth, turning something almost wicked looking into a weird little 'blep' before he laughs and shrugs, "Nah, I've got a cat of my own back home who'd be pissed if I did. Besides," He gives a little wink to the two of them and finishes the thought with a shrug, "He wants you."

Another snowball lifts up in front of the two, hovering there, twirling slowly as the yeen explains, "As for how you start over? Carefully." Then another snowball lifts up, stacking on the first,"You take the time to get re-acquainted," and another snowball to settle on the last. "And hold on to what you have as tightly as you can.."

A fourth snowball settles on the last, leaving a stack of them hovering between himself and the other two, all twirling slowly as they start to blend together into one, flawless pillar of snow. "It takes time and a lot of things will need to heal, but if you put enough effort into it, you'll do fine.. But.." His ears fold a little to the sides again as he tilts his head, looking strait at Shen as the twirling pillar suddenly stops. "Walking away like that? Or avoiding the ones you care about?" The pillar suddenly crumbles into a pile on the ground in front of them and the yeen just shrugs, "That's how you fuck it all up.. Don't fuck it up."

Shen Wei has posed:
Shen Wei really could quite easily have avoided the snowball if he'd wanted to. That he hadn't? Welll. That really says a lot about his state of mind. Never a good one to begin with, but Bai Wuyun wouldn't know that. Shen Wei has no answers either. Only that ever present fear touching, almost feather soft alone his nerves. Fear that he won't be fast enough, strong enough, powerful enough to protect people.

The Dixingren doesn't move away from the tail seeking to touch his back, nor does he move away as the feline seeks to settle next to him. Instead, he frees his hand on that side from his pocket and shoves his fingers beneath the cat's mane. His fingers are icy to the skin they find buried beneath the mane.

"I have never understood why he wants me, of all people. I'm no good for him. I got him killed the last time." Shen Wei blows a breath out and withdraws his hand. He takes a step away, putting a little space between them. He pays little mid to the snowballs, his eyes looking somewhere distant. "But, you see, I'm afraid of him." The words are quiet.

Shen Wei shakes his head again. "He chose to die. Because of me. I would rather die." He turns and looks at Bai Wuyun. "Just... let me go. I'm not worth you dying again." And, once again, Shen Wei turns away and starts walking. The steps are slow, but at least his back is straight again.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
The feline tilts his head a touch to one side, his ears perked up and towards Kit as he listens to the aardwolf's words. He seems at ease and calm there next to Shen Wei. There is a curl of his lips that's akin to a grin when Kit mentions having a cat at home. 'Oh? Is that so?' that look seems to say. There's a slight shift of his weight and his tails -- save for the one touching Shen Wei's side -- give a flicker that seems entirely mischievous in nature. He knows well how sensitive a feline's nose is. Oh, he could mess with that, he could! Yet the three words that follow that gift of information brings him to lift his head a touch before he lowers it, a soft rumble of sound rising from him -- whatever the sound means, it sounds more like agreement rather than argument to the statement.

Oh! Such cold and icy fingers! There's a soft whuffle of breath that he exhales, and he leans into the touch. Accepting it, wanting it, willingly taking the cold. He lifts his gaze to watch with curiosity as the snowball is lifted, and his tongue flicks out to lightly brush past his nose as he listens to what Kit says. His head gives a slight nod, for carefully does sound to be the best way of starting over. He continues to observe as the stack of snowballs is made, and from the set of his ears, he's still listening. He is a patient sort regardless of what form he wears, at least in most situations.

Bai Wuyun tilts his head a bit to one side. Even in human form, there's no explanation that he can offer for wanting Shen Wei -- but it doesn't change that from being the case. He give a shake of his head when Shen Wei speaks of being no good for him. He doesn't remember his death to be able to try to argue that point. When the hand is withdrawn, he makes a little inquisitive sound and extends his nose towards the now-retreating Shen Wei, confused and slightly stung by the action. He lowers his head, his tails stilling, and he whuffles softly towards Shen Wei, the look in his eyes questioning and uncertain, his ears laying back. Shen Wei is afraid... of him? He doesn't understand that!

When Shen Wei tells him to let him go, he shakes his head, a ripple passing through his fur with the motion. No, he won't! He doesn't just let Shen Wei walk off on him. He shifts his weight and leaps forward, once to catch up with Shen Wei and a second time to position himself in front of the Dixingren, turning to face him. There's a soft rumble from him as he exhales, and he slightly crouches, his head lowered as he looks to Shen Wei, and his tails fall still to rest on the snow.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"So, you're a coward then." Kit states flatly, his ears actually pinning back. Anyone who knows animals would know that gesture and what it's a sign of. "Something gave the two of you another chance, something very, /VERY/ few people get and instead of cherishing /every/ moment you have, you're just going to run away, save yourself the heartache. Is that is?" Ok, so if the ears weren't obvious, the growl in his voice might be. He's actually getting angry for some reason or another.

Even still, there's a little snicker that comes out of him and he states, "That's honestly pathetic." rather coldly. "You were so willing to fight for him a moment ago, but now you're too afraid to take hold of what's right in front of you? Seriously?" A quiet huff escapes the yeen as he stares daggers into the mans back, watching him for a moment before he asks. "Ever think that, just maybe he died /for/ you, rather than because of you? After all, anyone worth fighting for is worth /dying/ for. I'm a damn /kid/ and even /I/ know that." He is, indeed, just a kid, but he's a kid who has put himself in danger countless times in the past year for no other reason than to protect people. He'd be willing to lay down his own life for others, so it's not much of a leap in logic to make for the aardwolf.

Shen Wei has posed:
Shen Wei had tried. He had /tried/. And that had led straight to Bai Guang's choice of endings. He doesn't care if the cat is stung by his moving away again. He still hurts too much. Panic starts to rise within him. And anger. Creatures who are in pain aren't known for their sense and clarity of mind. Shen Wei is clearly no exception to this fact of life.

In his pockets, Shen Wei's hands clench into fists, getting tighter and tighter as the tension within him ratches up. "You chose to die because of /me/. I have a choice too. Go away. I'll only lead to you dying again." Harsh words, but true, in Shen Wei's mind. Shen Wei doesn't try to reason with the yeen either. He simply gives a single nod. That seems to about sum up how he feels. "Yes. I am a coward. Does it make you feel better to hear me say it aloud?"

Shen Wei bares his own teeth. He shakes his head. "There is little difference. The reason he died, whether because of or for, is still /me/." That Shen Wei has already displayed the same characteristics as Kit doesn't really seem to register. That he'd put his own life on the line to protect another has been demonstrated. Even one he'd turn and walk away from. And yet, he still stands, facing the cat that is Bai Wuyun. Though, Shen Wei looks everywhere /except/ at the cat. As for being a kid... "When I was your age I was leading men into battle in a war." So, it's not really a surprise that a kid knows that anything worth fighting for is worth dying for.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
There are a lot of things that Bai Wuyun has tried to talk to Shen Wei about over the time since he was rescued. Conversation isn't exactly a thing that Shen Wei will engage in easily at the best of times. Some of what Kit is saying are things that Bai Wuyun has tried to create an opportunity for saying himself. He doesn't know it in the here and now, but he had done exactly that -- he had died /for/ Shen Wei. So that Shen Wei would live. And if he hadn't done it then neither of them would be alive. He recognizes Kit's anger, but he doesn't do anything to try to stop it from being there. His attention is too focused on Shen Wei.

If he could take away all of Shen Wei's hurts, he would! But he can't. And so instead, he's endlessly patient and waiting for any sign of Shen Wei being receptive to his presence. He keeps his ears down, though it's a submissive positioning of them as his gaze holds on Shen Wei. He makes a sound that's a bit of a warble and a bit of a rumble, and then he shakes his head again. He's not going away. He's not! He lifts his head a little bit, to try to nudge one of those pocket-stuffed hands of Shen Wei's. He settles on his belly, on the snow in front of Shen Wei, and his tails lay still behind him. His head lifts slightly, and he tries to nudge his nose to Shen Wei's chest. They're better together, stronger together, even though he doesn't remember it. To be at each other's backs, protecting each other.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Nah," Kit says with a little scoff, "Actually, it makes me feel sorry for the man who loves you. Try pulling your head out of your ass for a minute and you might see that all you're doing is causing more pain." then starts over towards them. While he's not perfect at it, he's had practice walking in the snow and while he's not as silent as he wants to be, he's still quiet enough that normal people wouldn't be able to identify his footsteps. "And honestly? If you were a soldier, then you should know better than to act like this."

He'll get close enough that he could take a swing, but his paws remain in his hoodie as he studies the two in silence, then gives a sigh. "I know what it's like to lead, I know what it means to fight. The whole reason I'm out here tonight is to fight in a war that will never end, against an enemy I'll only ever recognize when it's far too late to turn back." He'll give a little shrug and offer the faintest of smiles as he continues. "And like I said, I'm just a kid.. If I can come out here, risking my life every night, for the sake of people who will likely never know what I'm doing? You can damn well man up and stop running away from the people who love you."

Shen Wei has posed:
Sadly, Shen Wei hasn't been at all receptive to talking. Not at all. Shen Wei hasn't ever been what anyone would consider talkative, preferring silence over anything else. These days, trying to get him to talk is worse than trying to pull a tooth from and angry bear. He too recognises the aardwolf's anger. The difference is, Shen Wei simply appears not to /care/. His scent will give him away, though. He cares. The words are hurting him deeply. Worse is that he agrees with them.

It doesn't seem as if Shen Wei will ever be truly receptive of Bai Wuyun's precense. Maybe that's selfish. But it's also /his/ choice to make. He doesn't look at the cat. He doesn't look at the aardwolf who's name he still doesn't know. At that warble, Shen Wei turns his eyes down to look at the cat. That is what the Bai Guang had said last time. That he wasn't going away. And yet, away he'd gone.

Shen Wei shakes his head when his pocket-stuffed hand is nudged. He pulls his hands from his pockets, still balled into fists. The tension all but radiates from him. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, forces his hands to unclench. Being pushed like this has to be taking a toll on what little calm remains. He steps back and away from the cat when his chest is nudged. He trembles from the tension.

He flinches visibly when the aardwolf says all he's doing is causing more pain. "Pain," he whispers. "Is all I'm good for." Shen Wei isn't normal people. Despite his present state of mind, he's still of the Underground. He's still a warrior. He's still a bounty hunter. His lips curl up, the smile derisive. "I'm not a soldier." Shen Wei's eyes remain closed, even as the aardwolf gets so close. Close enough to touch. Shen Wei shifts another step to the side, turning so that both are at his front.

Man up? Stop running away? Shen Wei has been running for twenty four years. Each word from the aardwolf brings those hands to curl again, bit by bit, until his hands are fisted again. Being pushed by Bai Wuyun, pushed by the aardwolf and insulted repeatedly by him.. it's too much. Suddenly, both of the others will feel dark power gather around Shen Wei. More, they will see it. A gathering of shadow threaded through with dark fire, of blues and purples, boiling up from the ground and up to surround Shen Wei, obscuring his form completely, despite the fact that he's standing within touching distance of both.

And there's a feel, a presence to those shadows. They feel very like a dry mist, like smoke made almost tangible, against the skin, the fur and whiskers. The light is warm. Very warm. The shadows and light swirl there, moving around Shen Wei in a very agitated way. From within, a heart rending scream, agonizing for the grief and pain held within it can be heard.

As the scream sounds, the shadows and dark fire burst outward in a circle from Shen Wei, heedless of the cat and the aardwolf so close to him. The fire is enough to feel warm, but not enough to do any damage. The destructive force is all being pulled /through/ Shen Wei's own body. The scream trails off, and by the time the shadows have cleared enough to see, Shen Wei is nowhere to be seen.

However. Both men would have felt it. The teleport to the very farthest point Shen Wei could see. And worse. That burst of power had drained him nearly to the point of collapse. What state must he be in, teleporting on top of that? Then comes another teleport. And another. Away. As quickly as Shen Wei can get his power to cooperate. He's drawing in too much, too quickly.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
There have been things that Kit's said that he's agreed with -- things that he felt that Shen Wei might have needed to hear. And other parts of things that he lacked the memories to know that he should disagree with. Very simply, he doesn't know what he doesn't know. And that is a frustration for him. It's when Kit mentions that Shen Wei causes only pain that Bai Wuyun moves, rising smoothly to his paws. He chuffs a breath and faintly noses at Shen Wei's chest, one of his tails moving to coil around Shen Wei's waist as he moves to put himself between Shen Wei and Kit, and he makes a sharp and short sound as he shakes his head. This point, it seems, he disagrees with. He lowers his nose and snuffles softly at Shen Wei's hair. His nostrils softly flutter a little bit, his breath chuffing shortly in and out his nose, one of his tails remaining curled around his waist.

When Shen Wei moves away from him, this time, he doesn't move after him. One of his ears turns to be listening, and his gaze follows the movement. His head lowers, and he makes a soft sound that seems to be... an apology? It has the sound of one, even if there are no words that he can offer in this form, and his body language shifts to match that sentiment. The soft rumble of sound that rises from him next seems to be concerned, but he doesn't move closer to Shen Wei. He holds himself where he is, though there is a sense of tension that slips into him. The patience of the predatory cat continues to be tested, and he... waits. One of his ears and his gaze unblinkingly upon Shen Wei, his other ear turned towards Kit. His weight is a bit forward on his toes though it may not be too obvious with the snow on the ground.

He feels the power as it gathers, and his ears flicker a little bit. And he can see the shadow of it as it gathers. This causes him greater concern. His tails softly flicker and move behind him, from one side to the other. The feel of the shadows upon his whiskers and fur brings him to move, lifting one of his front paws to take a small step closer to where Shen Wei had been before it had sprung up. He makes a soft calling sort of sound, inquisitive and gentle in tone. One of his ears perks forward, a bit hopefully. But then there's the scream, and it feels like icy fingers reaching into his chest and tearing his hearts out. There's a shivery-shudder that passes along his skin, rippling his fur, his ears sweeping back and tails falling incredibly still, and he with all the breath in him, he exhales a feline cry that's half-keening and half-calling and deep toned and, more than anything else, very loud. Anguished. Distressed. Worried. There is much the sound embodies. This is a sound meant to carry.

There isn't any thought but one, in that moment. And the one thought in Bai Wuyun's mind is to get to Shen Wei with as much speed as possible. He can't teleport, he can't fly, he can't do anything that's fancy -- but he can run. And that's exactly what he does, turning and leaping into fluid movement to head at an all-out run in the direction that he can sense that Shen Wei went. He doesn't care about himself, he cares about Shen Wei. And so he pushes himself to run as fast as he's capable of, for he has to keep up with the teleportation. This is the first time he's ever tried to do so. But he has to try. For Shen Wei.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a moment where Kit just sort of sighs and shakes his head, watching the display of power for a moment with a tilt of his head and then? Then Shen teleports and Bai takes off after him. The yeen rubs at the bridge of his maw and mutters, "Fucking drama hound.." to himself before taking off after the two. He knows the terrain, he knows the area and he knows the shortcuts, so he knows how to catch up to Bai at least and when he's close enough, he calls out, "Hey! Ninety yards! Don't touch the black surface or you'll be a sitting duck! Jump it if you can!"

It's night, but it's also down town New York, a place that the streets are never clear and there's always a chance that a large animal that doesn't know the place will get turned into a very large street pizza. "There's an alley on the other side big enough for you! Use it to keep out of sight! The people here will freak out and send people to try to kill you if you don't!" I mean, he's not wrong! More than likely, a giant animal charging in the streets of new york will lead to a very fast deployment of a LOT of squad cars. At that though, he picks up his own pace. Yup, he's following the teleporting goof, trying to at least keep the man in range until he burns himself out.

When he reaches the street himself, he doesn't stop but he does practically leap one car, a taxi, rolling across the hood before springing off the upper wheel well, trying to get across without being hit! This time he's lucky, luckier than he was the first time he had to pull that stunt at least, but he's going to be sore in the morning, especially if the large dent in the vehicles hood is any indication of how hard he caught the metal before the roll.

Shen Wei has posed:
Shen Wei shows no signs of stopping or slowing down. None. Eventually, he'll run out of power, and sooner rather than later. In Bai Wuyun's communicator, a voice sounds, almost certainly heard by both the cat and the aardwolf. "What the hell just happened? What /happened/??" Panic is in the normally jovial Dixingren's voice. It's Xie Yun, not that Bai can answer him right now. "I don't know what just happened, but I /warned/ you he wasn't stable. I'm coming. I'll bring the ship around to intercept him. His hops seem to be going in a straight line."

There's an ongoing commentary from Xie Yun through that comes through the ear piece Bai Wuyun wears. From the sounds of it, the ship mentioned is maneuvering into place to be in front of where Shen Wei seems to be heading. Or, at least, going in that direction. He also seems to be talking to Shen Wei too, for there's talk directed to 'Hei'an' and 'Commander'. Trying to talk him around.

However, eitiher Shen Wei is incapable of listening, or he's shut his own communicator off. For, there is no response from the Dixingren who'd fled. The teleports, once out of the park, start getting further apart as sight distance, especially along streets, gets longer. There comes a time when there's a pause, almost a stutter in teleports, before Shen Wei seems to recover himself and keeps going. He keeps going until the beaches along the ocean are reached. And there, on one abandoned beach directly in Shen Wei's path, hovering in mid air, is what can only be some sort of eitiher classified ship, or a space ship. It's lithe and graceful looking. And very clearly armed.

"Hei'an, I'm begging you. Please stop." 'Hei'an' staggers as the shadows retreat from his form once he's reached the beach. He stands still for a moment, swaying. He shakes his head, trying to clear the spots swimming through his vision. The little skin that is visible within Shen Wei's hood is ashen. Finally clearing, or mostly clearing, his vision, his eyes darts back and forth, looking for somewhere to teleport to that isn't ocean or back toward the park.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
Where Shen Wei goes, Bai Wuyun will follow. It has very often been that way, even though Bai Wuyun doesn't remember a single time it happened. There is something within him that compels him to follow. He doesn't know the terrain, and he doesn't show any signs of caring about the terrain either. He cares about one thing -- Shen Wei. One of his ears turns back to listen to Kit as he speaks, though his focus doesn't turn away from running. His tails give a slight flicker, and there's no sign that he heard. Or at least, no sign until he follows the advice by leaping easily over the black surface that Kit had mentioned and doing so without even losing stride.

There's no attention paid to people or vehicles or anything that's around him, he just keeps running. Towards that feeling of Shen Wei's teleportation. He angles towards the alley and leaps a dumpster halfway along it, sidestepping a pile of garbage bags a bit further along. He doesn't slow and he doesn't stop -- he can't, not until he reaches Shen Wei. He just keeps on running as fast as he can. Though he does, at least, seem to keep one of his ears aimed in Kit's direction.

There is no answer that he gives to the voice in the communicator that he wears. He can offer none -- he has no words, not in this form, and no spare breath to give them even if he could make the words. And so, he keeps running. The only sounds he can offer are the sounds of his breathing and the sounds of his paws striking the ground in the rhythmic pattern of his running. The voice in his ear isn't telling him anything that he doesn't already know or that he hasn't already sussed out. He doesn't pay a lot of attention to the voice in his ear. He just keeps... on... running. He has to. When Shen Wei stops is when he'll stop, and no sooner than that.

It's when the teleports have finally reached the beach, when Bai Wuyun's paws are finally in the snowy sand of the beach, that his headlong pace slows. His endurance has limits. His muscles ache, his sides heave with every breath his two pair of lungs takes, his mouth is open as he breathes, his pink tongue partially sticking out and his head slightly lowered. He can see Shen Wei, and he can see the ship which he knows is pilotted by Xie Yun. He stumbles a little bit and then he stops, his tails drooped and still. His gaze flicks from Shen Wei to the ship and then back again. He doesn't really have the breath to spare, as starved for oxygen as his muscles are, but he gives a soft call in a gentle and quiet tone.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The last thing of the yeen that Bai Wuyun would hear is a simple, "Use the back alleys as much as you can and don't try to follow me! You're too big!" as the yeen leaps onto a fire escape and quickly scrambles up the building. It's a long shot, but with how far the sensation of the teleporting head case is getting from him? He knows he can't catch it on foot, so this is his next best option and it's likely the worst one he could choose.

Two jumps, then a practical free-fall, that's all it takes, just two jumps. He nearly misses the first and overshoots the second, but he's not aiming for grace at this point, he's racing the clock and when he makes that final leap, strait off a building and off a bridge? His planning pays off. It's a hard fall onto a metal surface and an unstable one at that, but the train will be the quickest rout he can take in the city, especially at this hour.

It's not the best way to get from the park to the beach, nor is it the safest, but it's certainly the fastest and this isn't the first time he's had to do this, thanks to some of his more psychotic encounters with the local gangs and by the time he'd reach the beach? At least he's not as out of breath as poor Bai would be.

There are perks to knowing the terrain, as well as the schedule of the train, even if his method of catching it is bar none the worst idea for anyone in their right mind to do.

Shen Wei has posed:
One thing is for certain. Shen Wei is /not/ in his right mind. At all. It's a good bet that he wasn't in his right mind when this whole thing started, either. There'd been a reason for Xie Yun's warning to Bai Wuyun before Shen Wei ever joined him in the park. Alas, the knowledge the Haixingren had once possessed is missing, and so he hadn't known precisely what that warning meant.

That soft call does at least earn a frantic glance toward the cat. Shen Wei's eyes don't seem to want to focus right and he coughs. Leaning forward, he spits the blood out, then lifts his left hand to wipe much of it away. He leaves a smear on his lower lip and chin, as well as on the side of his hand. His eyes dart between the aardwolf and the cat, and the ship behind him.

The shadows swirl up around him again and Shen Wei steps into darkness. But it doesn't work how his frantic state had wanted it to work. The dark spits swim through his vision, growing until it's all he can see. And then he sees nothing else. The shadows fade, revealing Shen Wei's form, crumpled where he'd been standing.

"Damn it!" comes the voice from the ear piece. The ship glides forward until the nose is just short of Shen Wei's unconscious form. There, it settles to the sand. A few moments later, the hatch opens and Xie Yun darts out. He looks a lot like Bai Wuyun. His long hair is gathered into a pony tail at the back of his head and then braided into loops to keep it somewhat out of the way. He runs toward Shen Wei, skidding to a stop in the sand next to the unconscious Dixingren. He shoots a glare at both the aardwolf and the cat. "The hell did you do to him?!" His right hand hovers at his side, while the left moves to hover over his commander and captain.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
In this form, Bai Wuyun is too big for a lot of things. He doesn't give any response to Kit's words nor even a gesture to indicate that he's heard them. Though he does slightly flick his ear that had been turned in the aardwolf's direction. Without Kit's specific advice, he picked his way through the city as best he could, keeping as much to the alleys as he could as well. It meant that he likely ran across a number of things that he shouldn't have and probably caused some small cuts to the pads of his paws, but it's nothing that he can't fix. When he chooses to acknowledge them and actually do something about them. But that moment is not right now.

Bai Wuyun lifts his gaze to Shen Wei, his look veiled by his lashes, and he's still trying -- fighting, even -- to catch his breath. It's been a long time since he's run any significant distances, and this is further than he usually pushes his endurance. Yet he had determinedly followed Shen Wei with nary a care to his own physical self. He notices the blood that Shen Wei coughs up, and he moves to take a step forward, a soft sound layered with concern rising from him. He's worried, and it shows in his body language as well, his tails remaining drooped and low and resting on the ground.

When Shen Wei crumples, Bai Wuyun rushes forward but half skids to a stop near to Shen Wei at the appearance of Xie Yun in his temper. This... is a bit of an unknown factor, for he's not seen Xie Yun this angry ever before. His ears swivel back and forth, and he makes a soft sound. He looks to Shen Wei, whuffling his breath as he reaches his nose out towards him. He knows that he should likely shift back to his human form but he feels like he needs a minute before he does.

On the ramp of the ship appears another fellow, following after Xie Yun at a bit more of a sedate pace. He doesn't wear the robes that Bai Wuyun had in his human form but instead a pair of blue jeans and a loose white button up shirt as well as a pair of boots. His hair is loose and black, hanging to his knees. "Xie Yun, will we need one medical bed prepared in the infirmary or are you planning on making it two?" he asks with a bit of both amusement and concern, raising an eyebrow slightly as he looks to the crumpled form of Shen Wei and to Bai Wuyun.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"First off," the aardwolf quirks a brow at the protective individual, or more accurately, his firearm as he states, "I wouldn't go drawing that if I were you." there's a subtle crackle of energy across his fur as he says this, apparently he's in no mood for people making bad choices at this point. "Second, your friend lost his shit because he got told to stop being a coward." There's a moment of pause as he glances to Bai and tilts his head, his ears swiveling forward slightly. "You alright? Twenty miles is a hell of a distance to run like that.."

There is no sign that the aardwolf is armed beyond the slight hint of energy he just let show and even that isn't too telling and while he does sound a bit irritated, at very least he's not showing any signs of aggression.. Yet. "That man needs to see a damn therapist, though honestly it's probably going to need to happen after he recovers from burning himself out. I've never seen anyone move like that and given how much energy it took, I'm guessing he's gonna have a hell of a headache when he comes to."

Shen Wei has posed:
As the cat skids to a stop, Xie Yun fixes him with a glare. "I warned you," he said. "I warned you he was unstable. Why the hell didn't you listen?" He scoots closer to Shen Wei, protectively. His glare tells Bai Wuyun clearly that he doesn't want the cat anywhere near his boss right at the moment. Now that it's clear that there doesn't seem to be any real danger to his boss, Xie Yun's hand moves away from his side. It comes to rest on Shen Wei's upper arm instead.

"Just one, Qiu," he says. "For now." He might still be contemplating shooting someone. Xie Yun turns to stare at the aardwolf. "First off, if I draw it, you're the first person I'm shooting. Second off, what gives you /any/ sort of right to throw names around?" Xie Yun gets to his feet and walks over to get very much in the face of the aardwolf. "That man," he says, pointing a finger at the unconscious Shen Wei, "Is the bravest man I know and myself and many others would follow him to hell and back. No questions. No hestiation. Hei'an never leaves people behind. Not ever."

Xie Yun's eyes narrow. "You know what? Nevermind. Trying to explain Hei'an to someone like you is pointless. Ming Qiu, get the hatch." He looks to Bai Wuyun, and there's disgust in his expression. "You," he says.. and shakes his head. "I don't give a shit what you do. I don't even want to look at you." Well. At least Xie Yun didn't forbid him entry onto the ship? With that, he turns his back on both cat and the aardwolf, and moves to pick Shen Wei up. The man seems almost frail in Xie Yun's arms as the pilot turns and carries him up the ramp. Frail and almost weighless.

Bai Wuyun has posed:
When he hears the aardwolf's voice, Bai Wuyun swivels one of his ears in that direction. It takes him a moment to pick himself up out of the snowy sand, and even though he's still trying to catch his breath, he gives himself a shake from head down to his tails. He doesn't interfere in what Kit tells Xie Yun, though he does turn an ear towards the other Dixingren. He makes a soft sound at the question of his own welfare, giving a slight nod. He lifts one of his front paws and flicks it a bit. Running that long of a distance, all out, takes a toll on a body. His tongue flicks up to lick his nose, and he's at least caught his breath enough that his mouth isn't hanging open anymore.

His ears droop a little bit and he makes a soft rumble of sound, his head lowering as his gaze turns to Xie Yun, and he tilts his head to one side. Curious and confused. He was warned? What? When did that happen? He doesn't remember a warning! He makes a sound that seems inquisitive in nature. With Xie Yun in the way, barring his path, he doesn't try to get closer to Shen Wei, though he does look from Xie Yun to Shen Wei more than once. Uncertain, but wanting to be closer to Shen Wei.

When Xie Yun leaves Shen Wei is when he moves a little bit closer, laying on his belly on the snowy sand. He reaches out to softly whuffle at Shen Wei's chest. It's clear from the gesture that he cares, and deeply so.

Xie Yun's words that are aimed in his direction are sharp, and then cause him to give a slight flinch before he looks down. He accepts the words without any manner of argument at all, though he does make a soft sound. He withdraws a little bit, to move back from Shen Wei and give a bit more space for Xie Yun to be able to access the unconscious Shen Wei.

Ming Qiu looks to the aardwolf, looking him up and down and back again. He smoothly unfolds his arms and then makes his way off the ship. As he passes behind Xie Yun, the fingers of one of his hands lightly touch Xie Yun's back, and then he steps further to very briefly touch Bai Wuyun's shoulder in a slightly reassuring touch. Yet Bai Wuyun moves away from the touch, unwilling to be offered any comfort by his junior. All the while, Ming Qiu keeps his gaze on the aardwolf. "You have no right to call Hei'an a coward. You know him not. You know not his past or what he's been through, so you have no right to judge. He has done a great many things dangerous to himself that no others either could or would do in order to save lives or prevent deaths or injuries. At one point or another, he has saved all of us from most certain death," he says, a touch coolly. Then he turns to look to Xie Yun, giving a nod before he moves to step towards the ship. "I will go prepare the bed. Gently, Xie Yun... he does not have the benefit of knowing all that we do," he says, casting a glance towards Bai Wuyun before he continues to the ramp to head on board. He vanishes within the ship, no doubt to get the bed ready in the infirmary.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There is a point where everyone hits a wall, a point where everyone loses their sympathy and compassion, even their sanity for some and right now? Yeah, the yeen has taken one step past that particular wall. The moment the comment is made about him being the one that Xai Yun would shoot? There's a hundred pounds of force that suddenly jerks that exact same gun from it's holster, sending it flying hundreds of feet down the beach.

For those who can sense power, it's a moment that might feel like something out of the twilight zone, when the darkness of the night itself suddenly twists and contorts, almost like the fabric of reality is writhing in pain. In that moment, the yeens eyes turn completely black, save a pair of tiny, crimson specs at their center. Then? Then there's a surge of energy from somewhere distant and the yeen just tilts his head and gives a quiet little huff through his nose. He's gritting his teeth at the moment to keep himself from losing his absolute mind at these people and his jaw actually clenches hard enough that one of his own teeth cracks under the pressure and then?

Then he turns and starts off, stating, "Good luck with that lover of yours, Bai Wuyun." in a voice that's suddenly not just one, but two.. One of them is his, but the other is distinctly different, harsher, deeper... Something's happening.. "Something tells me you'll need it."

His footprints leave black scorch marks in the sand, melting the snow around his feet as he moves. Something is happening, something horrifyingly bad and the worst part is? The chances of stopping it are impossibly low. After all, there's a point where everyone loses it, but for some it can be worse than others. Oh well, at least he's walking away with a kind-ish parting comment.

Shen Wei has posed:
Xie Yun is the exact opposite of his usual self. The confusion and submission from the cat are both utterly ignored by the pilot. Utterly. He doesn't even look at Bai Wuyun once he's been summarily dismissed. He takes a deep breath as Ming Qiu touches his back. As his gun is ripped from its holster, he turns and fixes a look at the youngster. "Real mature, when it wasn't even pointed at you, let alone drawn at all." He rolls his eyes and turns back to the ramp.

He glowers at Ming Qiu's words of being gentle. And actually growls. "No, Ming Qiu. He contributed to this, /after/ I told him Hei'an was unstable today. You /heard/ me tell him. He even acknowledged what I said. Knowing or not knowing exactly what we know, how could he stand back and listen to someone call someone he professes to care about, and wants to be around, a coward?" He makes a sound of disgust as he steps up the ramp in Ming Qiu's wake. Clearly, he's in no mood to be reasonable right now.

Indeed. There is very definitely a point where everyone hits a wall, sympathy, compassion, sanity. Shen Wei had lost his sanity after the aardwolf's harsh words to him earlier. It seems he wasn't the only one teetering on a brink this night. For Xie Yun, given where he's from, the night twisting and controting on itself isn't really all that unusual. He's been Hei'an's second for too many years, and walked through the shadows with his boss, for that sort of thing to even give him a moment's pause.

In Xie Yun's arms, however, Shen Wei reacts to that power, to the fabric of reality writhing as it does. He writhes in time to it, a whimper escaping past half parted lips. Xie Yun glances down at his boss, and murmurs something in a soothing tone that doesn't sound like the language Bai Wuyun had been speaking earlier. And as the aardwolf walks off, Xie Yun disappears into the belly of the ship.