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Amilar Ereyo	The day is hot and humid, which does little to curb the crowded foot traffic in the streets of Great Forks. Among the many thousand temples and shrines standing shoulder to shoulder, the house dedicated to the Lady of Changing Waters hardly stands out, its true significance a well-guarded secret. While not exactly famous, some in the city might recognize the sorcerer-engineer Amilar Ereyo, who can be seen stepping inside this particular temple... only to emerge again a scant few minutes later, expression dominated by a deep frown. She pauses on the steps leading up to the temple's door, looking crestfallen and more than a bit lost, shoulders slumping, casting cautious glances to her left and right, as if wary of observers. But why would anyone be suspicious about her being here, anyway...?
Misa	Why Misa might be passing by is likely something only she could answer- she usually stays fairly quiet and focused on where she's going, a very heads-down sort of walker. Then again, she half expected this dragonblood to be dead by now, so the appearance of Ereyo- out of the temple of someone Misa's familiar with no less- does draw her eye. She slows slightly, and eventually diverts her path, breaking free of the crowd to come up alongside the Lookshyan. "Not a place I expected to see you leaving, officer. Something amiss?"
Amilar Ereyo	Despite pretending to be on her guard, and on the lookout for observers, Ereyo turns out to be anything but. She doesn't even seem to notice Misa when the Solar steps up right beside her. Only the sound of Misa's voice finally draws the Dragon's attention to her. She startles with a yelp, almost leaping back toward the door behind her, before she manages to catch herself - looking slightly paler than usual. "I... What? No! Nothing of significance." There is a short pause, filled with looks of suspicion. "And none of your business, I believe", Ereyo adds belately and draws herself up a bit. Although her casual uniform doesn't afford her much protection, she is wearing her daiklave. Maybe the blade's presence is enough to give her some confidence. "What are ~you~ doing here, anyway?", she asks, narrowing her eyes.
Misa	"This is the closest city to the one in which I live, and this is a fairly major throughfare," says Misa wryly, corner of her mouth twitching upwards a little with amusement, watching Ereyo's antics. "And, truthfully, I was interested- perhaps glad- to see you still in one piece, considering our last conversation and the fact that monks did not burn down my home in the aftermath of it." She herself has but one mundane blade at her right hip, gently curved with a floral motif to the guard. No sign of the four rather less typical ones Ereyo's seen before.
Serene Herald	Perfect Question makes his way down the street, coming towards the temple itself. A circlet of starmetal and black jade on his forehead identifies him as an essence user as well. When he sees the two he recognizes, he gives a smile. "Good afternoon to you both! I hope you are being after well and good?" He is polite, and looking curiously. "Is anything of being the matter?"
Amilar Ereyo	After staring blankly at Misa for a while, Ereyo deflates slightly and lets out a deep sigh, slowly shaking her head. "I doubt you really care whether I live or die." Bitterness fills her smile. "But I am not without honor. If you do find monks coming for your home one day, neither my actions nor my words will be the reason for their visit." Maybe she might have said more, but another familiar face emerges from the crowd and throws words at her. The Air Aspect, being forced to deal with a second source of unwanted attention when she was trying to avoid such, can only force a smile onto her face, hopefully a convincing one, and waves a bit weakly at the approaching scholar. "Uhm... Perfect Question? What a coincidence... Good afternoon to you as well", she mutters, casting an uneasy glance at Misa. "This place seems to be rather popular lately."
Misa	"In fairness to you, it's not personal- I do not have many people I count on that list of caring," agrees Misa, shrugging a little. "But you seem pleasant enough overall, so it would be a shame." "Student," she says by way of greeting to Perfect Question, nodding to him quite politely. "How fares your progress on the form?"
Serene Herald	"I am coming to a deeper understanding of it, thank you sifu," Question says to Misa. "As for the temple, the Exigent priestess here is of also being from the South, and we are enjoying the chance to hear familiar tongues."
Amilar Ereyo	Both Herald and Misa can definitely notice Ereyo staring at the circlet sitting on the former's forehead. Her eyes widen in disbelief, and when Perfect Question turns out to be a student of the supernatural martial arts, she takes a few quick steps back, putting some space between her and the two, eyeing them both warily. "I... see", she remarks on Question's statement, although those two words might just as well refer to something else. "In that case, you are out of luck. Rishi is not inside, and has not been the day before. Possibly out of town for the time being..." She trails off, looking back and forth between Misa and Question, before finally focusing on the Solar. "I did not expect an astrologer to be dabbling in the martial arts." Ereyo cautiously weights each word, then looks at Misa's student - or rather, at the artifact on his forehead. "That is a beautiful piece you are wearing... May I ask where you acquired it?"
Misa	"I will teach most anyone- astrologer or otherwise. You yourself would be perfectly welcome to come to spar for practice or learng osmething new," Misa explains, smiling faintly over at Ereyo. She shrugs again. Taking a step to the side to close the circle of conversation more naturally, she rests her left hand on her hip, thumb hooked into the sashes around her waist absently. "Same story as my blades, if you were curious for those, as I recall," she adds with respect to the tiara question.
Serene Herald	"I am of having the fortune to accomapny Misa and a lady being named Silk to an ancient manse starting to break. Earth and fire being flooded with the shadows of the underlands. For my payment, this I took from it," Question says. "As for dabbling in the martial arts, student I am, but also teacher, if you of doing the wishing to learn a style that your sword works with."
Amilar Ereyo	Uncertainty fills Ereyo's irises with clouds, warring with curiosity. Her smile has faltered a few sentences ago - now it returns, lopsided and not quite capable of masking her worry. She holds up a hand: "While I appreciate the offer, I can hardly find enough time to focus on my sorcerous studies. This is not a trivial skill to-" Someone interrupts her mid-sentence by shouting her name and title - a group of five soldiers, unmistakably gird in Lookshyan lamellar armor, are wading through the people filling the street, steadily moving towards them, or rather towards Ereyo. Their voices are raised in distress. "Wai tan-junai! We thought we had lost you in the crowd... A thousand apologies for our lack of foresight..." The Dragon-Blooded sighs and rubs her temples. "Looks like my household guard has finally managed to catch up with me", she groans, then flashes a quick, apologetic smile at Misa and Perfect Question. "I need to go. Have a good day... I suppose." Without waiting for an answer, she rushes down the stairs to meet the soldiers halfway.
Misa	"Well... that was sudden," muses Misa, shrugging yet again as she considers the exit of Ereyo. "Well, it seems the tiara and the association with me have her suspicious of you as well. For what it's worth in case it comes up, she knows what there is to know about me- probably more than anyone else in the region. She's frighteningly well-versed in the family incidents and politicking of Lookshy."
Serene Herald	"Aha, interesting. She is of being a sorcerer-worker herself, so knowing what this is, I am not of being surprised." He shrugs, "I wonder if there is being of anyone that she does the trusting?"
Misa	Misa frowns a moment, then tilts her head to the side helplessly. "Well, growing up in Lookshy... being a dragonblood... I imagine certain teachings are running powerfully through her mind. And there are... a shocking number of us in the area."
Serene Herald	"I suppose. It is a place I have seen a number of Sun-chosen and Moon-chosen. Powerful yes, and so worthy of respect and wariness as anyone who has power is. But not as they are saying bad. Against the social order? Which some will find evil, but..."
Misa	"No, but the immaculate texts name us affected by great demons that will inevitably turn to ruin," says Misa, shaking her head a little. "Some versions of it even posit the dragon-blooded as divine in contrast. Though... I suppose I'm not quite sure what they say about the -other- sort I can't quite seem to remember everything about?"
Serene Herald	"They talk of the Sun, the Moon, the Five Stars, but I am not remembering what they say of the Maidens' Chosen. There is nothing written against them, that I am of remembering." A shrug. "You would be having to ask one of the monks, or senior priests. I am remembering they were once called Viziers to the Stewards and Lawgivers, yes?"
Misa	"I pay little mind to the goings-on of ages past, but that does sound familiar. Surely there are some six or seven sobriquets, but I am content to just... be myself, in the meantime. If I do go mad as the texts suggest, well... hopefully someone- or some group- out there can put an end to me, hm?"
Serene Herald	"The Maiden of Endings oversees such things, and would allow some to be guided by Fate, were that needed. But you are powerful and can defy Fate, difficult though it may be, so nothing is fully foreknown where you are, unless you choose not to resist Fate's snares," Herald replies. "Hopefully it is a friend, who understands what must be done, and why."
Misa	Misa ponders a moment, then shrugs. "I can think of a few that I know that would be able to handle the issue. Likely not too much to be concerned for. In the meantime... what do you intend for the day now that the temple's leader is not here for the conversing you mentioned?"
Serene Herald	"I need to be finding maps for the orca I saw yesterday walking through town," QUestion replies. "And then to be casting a horoscope if I can. What about you?"
Misa	"... Orca?" questions Misa, blinking a few times. She quirks an eyebrow questioningly. "I... was on my way to a small investigation to keep the finances comfortable, but now I am curious what this thing you speak of is."
Serene Herald	"You know of the lionmen around the city, yes? Imagine a different beastfolk, but being of a whale of black and white. It was strange to be seeing, but a scholar seeks to learn what he can," Question replies.
Misa	"Black and white whale? Hm. No, I can't say I've seen that, I think I'd remember," Misa says, chuckling softly. "Don't let me keep you then, help your whale friend."