Family Reunions Suck (P)

This was the first time that the head of the Hyuuga clan had entered this district in her entire life. It was rather strange, to be among so many of her own kin, when their presence in Kirigakure was nowhere near as strong. No, the Kirigakure Hyuuga clan was known for its powerful fighters and presences, not its political influence, which had become even weaker with the dishonor and imprisonment of her brother, the previous head of the Hyuuga.

To her knowledge, the clan had not had a proper head for quite some time. The one prior to Haru was some girl from the village of Funkagakure, she had heard, and the one prior to her was some sort of criminal. It was a strange lineage that the modern Hyuuga had possessed, and she knew that her clan had been relieved when they finally received a more conservative head, in the form of Haru, and then a more traditional head, in the form of Aryll. At least, that’s how the Kirigakure elders had reacted.

Despite the mockery that had been made of her in Kirigakure for her brother’s dishonor, and her own disability, she had managed to cement her reputation via the Blood Games, and the citizens of Kirigakure no longer sniggered when she pushed her chair through her streets. This place, however? It appeared they were afraid to go near her. Not a single member of her extended family had spoken a word to her, beyond a simple “Yes ma’am,” or “No ma’am,” or “Right away, ma’am.”

It was maddening.

If she had wanted to eat her meals alone, in absolute silence, she would have simply stayed home. This place was nearly as dreary as the empty home where no less than three members of her family had been maimed or killed, and that was saying something. Still, there she sat, near a tree, in a small garden located within the Hyuuga district, eating from a small bowl of Ramen. Even with her usual distaste for this particular dish, she could not help but try a dish from the legendary Ichiraku’s, after all, what self-respecting foodie wouldn’t?

She was wearing a simple grey jacket over a blue tank top, with a pair of plain grey pants, a blue blanket covering her legs, obscuring them in the chair. Her ninja pouches were strapped to the side of her chair. She was wearing her headband around her neck, marking her as a Kirigakure ninja, but also exposing the Hyuuga curse mark that sat upon her brow, a reminder of the clan's past, and a humbling influence on the high and mighty elders. Aryll had been born to the service branch of the Hyuuga, before it was abolished, and she touted it with pride, never letting the elders forget what they had done to her.

As she wheeled herself and became comfortable within the small garden, the few occupants immediately vacated the location. Aryll sighed. The reason for their behavior was obvious, but she had hoped for some civility within her own family. After all, this war was hardly an issue of clan politics. A Hyuuga should swear loyalty to their own village above all else, shouldn’t they? That was what the Hyuuga of the old days seemed to love to tout so much, that their loyalty to The Leaf transcended all else. Well, Aryll held a loyalty of her own. To The Mist, she would forever offer her blade. That much should have been expected.

They likely didn’t care too much about that, however. She was a member of an invading force. Her presence here, in their homes, among their kin, was a slap on the cheek, regardless of her title within the clan. They abided her and catered to her whims only because they were compelled to do so, and that was not something Aryll could change any time soon.

So, for now, Aryll sat alone, enjoying the foliage that did not grow in her own home, and the food that was not native to her country, among a family that was not present, which, honestly, made her feel right at home.

The day was blue speckled with clusters of puffy white clouds as a snowy haired kunoichi and an ebony wolf exited the one bedroom room, having just prepared lunch for themselves. Her left hand carried two simple, tan boxes, lids covering the contents within, and a white backpack hung loosely around her right shoulder. She had rarely ever eaten inside the confines of her clan’s district, but the past few days she felt more comfortable in the dreary walls and empty halls. The world outside the compound reminded her too much of the war, the precious life she lost that day, and her heart, no matter how tough she acted on the outside, was not ready to face the cold reminder just yet. Thus she kept her training to the provided dojos and garden of the Hyuuga clan, and her outings were slowly growing as she eased her way into acceptance of his loss. Although even if she were able to move on from the pain the death of Salzem brought her, the desire to see Yensung Aburame and the kiri man dirty the earth with their tainted blood would nestle its way into the crevices of her mind and remain for all of eternity.

The two made it to the humble garden within the Hyuuga district in a couple of minutes, Hikari’s high heeled ninja boots thunderously thumping against the hardwood floors as she made her approach, until the grass muffled her footsteps to a light crunch. Her lilac tinted eyes fell upon a single soul enjoying the serenity of the garden, a woman in simple grey clothing sitting in a wheelchair amongst the dying plants. Upon closer inspection, Hikari recognized the woman as the one in the large machine from the invasion, and the same woman who carried Sal around. The Kirigakure shinobi had not wronged her in any way, not even her allegiance to her village upset the petite girl, and would be met with no hostility or resentment.

Sitting near the woman, on a bench by a small patch of wilted lotus flowers, their stems drooping and a few of their petals missing as the harsh winter winds and rain storms wreaked havoc on them, the girl and her wolf prepared to indulge in their meal before a little afternoon training. Normally she would have happily greeted the woman, inquiring about her, but now she felt nothing inside, no joy at potentially meeting a new member of her clan nor disgust at the woman for staying in the district despite her village having taken over Konohagakure a few days prior.

She opened the lid of the bigger sized box, the scent of raw meat wafting around them, before placing it on the ground in front of her. Kuro, who had been sitting happily in front of her feet on the grass, licked his lips hungrily. While she opened her own box of food, he began tearing at the first slice of meat, the juices squirting as his large canines pierced with ease. It wouldn’t take a genius to realize he was a predator, not someone’s house pet, even if he looked like such. He was Hikari’s beloved companion, and one of the only creatures left in the world she cared more about than her own life. Sure he was just a wolf to others and giving her life for an animal was ridiculous to most, to her he was family and she would gladly give her life if it meant he would be safe.

(WC: 592)

Aryll ate quietly there for some time before another soul approached. She was comfortable enough with the isolation, for it was no stranger to her. All of the weeks she had spent cooped up in the Hyuuga manor after Haru’s incarceration and her… accident… had seen to that. She was not particularly fond of the loneliness she often endured. Perhaps that was why she crafted her massive automatons, her puppets that act as her shield and her sword in battle. Perhaps she was truly just lonely.

My Lord, I’m getting mopey. She thought, shaking her head curtly. Chill the hell out, Aryll.

And chill the hell out she did. For a little while. She took another bite of the ramen, noting that it was significantly better than anything they’d made in Kirigakure or Tengakure. While their bakeries were to die for, Aryll’s home village was surely not good enough to contend with the likes of Ichiraku’s.

When a girl with lilac eyes approached, Aryll stopped eating for the briefest of moments. Hardly quantifiable, yet still enough to notice her slightest of pauses, before resuming picking at her food. Her eyes weren’t quite right the right color for an inhabitant of the Hyuuga district, and she seemed about as familiar with the place as Aryll was, but all the same, Aryll definitely got a vibe from her that was distinctly Hyuuga. The stoic silence, the polite disregard for her, it all seemed to fit, at least from what she’d seen of the elders that visited Kirigakure.

Come to think of it, Aryll recognized this person. She had seen her beside Xyxer during the invasion. Beside her closest friend had stood this woman, a ninja of the enemy village? Why? What made her so special that Xyxer had taken an interest in her? Aryll pondered this as the girl sat down close to her, on a bench near her own chair, eliciting another small pause from the heiress. Still, neither spoke a word, and as she fed the huge canine that she had brought along with her, Aryll’s face curled into a small smile. Her brother had once raised ninja dogs, and his had looked quite similar to this one. Then she frowned. She did not want to think of her brother right now.

She ate there in silence for a few moments more, picking at her food. She had lost her appetite, it seemed. She glanced over at the girl once more. Why had she chosen to sit here, so close to Aryll? Surely she knew who she was? Surely she felt the spite and betrayal of the rest of the village? Yet here she was. This woman to whom Aryll had never spoken a word was endlessly fascinating. She was a mystery for Aryll to crack, one who had appeared to possess the favor of Xyxer, her most beloved friend, and one who seemed to have no reservations about sitting near her, despite the rest of the clan being fearful to even glance at her.

”Everyone else turned away as soon as they saw me. You're the only one who hasn't.” She finally said, shattering the silence. ”The rest won’t even look me in the eye, much less eat a meal beside me.” Her voice was soft and toneless. She was still looking down at her food. She didn’t know what else to say. Her words were short and simple, and really, she didn’t know what else to add. Did she sound condescending? Superior? Did she mean to? Aryll knew not the answer to any of these questions.

The short young woman paid no heed to the Kirigakure Hyuuga, the slight pauses she made going unnoticed as she focused on Kuro and herself. It wasn’t a wise decision to disregard her surroundings, anyone could launch an attack at her and she might be too slow to stop them from fatally maiming her. Yet...would she truly care if someone did try to kill her? Hikari wasn’t so sure, death wasn’t as terrifying of a thought as it had been a month ago. The idea of her life slipping away into oblivion, the unknown welcoming her with outstretched hands, sounded quite appealing to the kunoichi. Her life meant nothing now, she an empty shell of her former self.

It was pitiful to watch, a saddening tale ending in her playing the “I’m a victim” card, and acting as if she were nothing more than a sibling to Salzem. Her life seemed to rely on him alone, ad without him, she had no reason to exist any longer. Hikari had fallen as hard as Konohagakure had, yet death would be too sweet a punishment for her sins. No, she would be forced to live on and cope with the misery, until one day she either accepted that his death was inevitable (and that she needed to move on) or her sacrificed two lives for one, carrying out her mission to avenge the fallen lycan.

Hikari took several small bites of her lunch, her mouth lavishing in the savory tastes yet her brain registered none. Her food, the ripe vegetables, plump white rice, and smoked salmon, tasted bland as she bit into them. She didn’t have much of an appetite to start with, but forcing herself to eat was the one thing she seemed to be doing right since Salzem’s passing.

A calm, authoritative voice broke through the empty garden, bringing the girl out of her thoughts and causing the wolf to turn his head in her direction, awaiting what she would say next. It seemed the rest of the clan wanted nothing to do with the woman, going out of their way to leave the moment she arrived or their eyes caught sight of her. Her words were shocking indeed, the Hyuuga not expecting her family to treat their own clanmate coldly, but the more surprising part of the ordeal was how the woman spoke to her. She didn’t bother giving Hikari enough respect to make eye contact, a hint of superiority lacing her words. Did she think just because they won the war she could act all high and mighty over her clanmates, showing them attitude and mocking every little thing they did?

Hikari’s blank stare made it’s way to the face of the woman, momentarily taken aback by the Hyuuga Curse Mark seal etched across her forehead. She had never seen a Hyuuga adorn the seal with pride, showing it off as if it were a prized trophy to be sought after. Then Hikari thought maybe the woman had placed it on herself, to protect her clan Doujutsu from getting stolen if she were to ever die. If the woman had the seal forced upon her, however, Hikari wondered why she had not gotten it removed by a Fuuinjutsu specialist.

Her voice rung out through the garden, stern and monotone, “Perhaps it may be due to your mannerisms? Lack of eye contact or the all-mighty tone of your voice, for example, may be why.” She was being neither nice nor cruel with the woman, stating things as she genuinely felt they were, “If you care to hear the reasons why I have not turned away from you, they are that you have wronged me none and the village you reign from does not matter to me, you are still a part of the Hyuuga clan.” Hikari would wait for her to reply, if she gave her such a privilege as an answer that is.

(WC: 656)
(TWC: 1,248)

The woman spoke rather stiffly, as if she didn’t really care to have this conversation one way or another. She offered that Aryll might have been developing a tone, which may have elicited a snicker on a better day. She had done no such thing. Still, inquiring something like “Do you know who I am?” would only hurt her argument, so she merely held her tongue in regards to that one.

She was not sure what exactly she was playing at. Had Aryll had a tone? She was pretty sure she did not, but apparently what she said had been interpreted as almighty. Perhaps she really had changed since becoming clan head. She had known it was difficult to get the attention of the elders, being perceived as nothing more than a fragile, innocent little cripple, to be used a figurehead and little else. She had made a good poster child, calm, well mannered, and easily manipulated. It had only been recently that the girl had grown a spine and began to retaliate, began to think for herself. Had she really gotten an almighty tone, though?

”You and I both know that is not the reason they refuse to acknowledge my presence.” She replied, her gaze now turned to the woman. ”I only wish it was something so easy to fix.” She sighed, setting aside the bowl that she had been holding. The noodles were picked clean, leaving only strips of beef and a small amount of broth. She set it on the arm of her chair, before returning her gaze to the small woman before her.

She explained that she bore no ill will towards Aryll, despite her perceived status as a traitor to the clan by some. Still, she smiled faintly at the girl now.
”I appreciate that.” She said, looking at the wolf, who had turned its head towards her when she spoke. ”He’s a beautiful animal.” She commented. ”He reminds me of the hounds my brother raised back in Tengakure.”

She reached for the bowl on the arm of her chair. It was nothing fancy, a simple disposable to-go cup, but it was packed at the bottom with the chunks of beef that Aryll had pushed aside during her meal. ”I don’t suppose he eats leftovers? The food here is wonderful, but I seem to have lost my appetite.” She would say, displaying the contents of the bowl. If Hikari gave permission, Aryll would offer what she had left to the wolf.

It seemed Hikari had wrongfully spoken, the woman sharply retorting that they both knew neither of those reasons were why they avoided her. The only two things the older woman could think of were the fact that she was in a wheelchair, despite the prejudices that would entail regarding their clan, or that she was from Kirigakure. The woman was facing her now, her comments getting her attention rather quickly she guessed. She had not meant to insult the woman, truly she didn’t, but maybe she had used poor word choice when talking about her tone and such. Since Salzem’s death it was difficult, to say the least, for her to register what she said before speaking, her mind just as numb and fuzzy as her body.

Hikari sighed at the same time as the woman, having to agree with her logic regarding the predicament. “Maybe with time they’ll come around, once they accept your presence, or authority, here.” She said, trying to be optimistic for the young girl, although truth be told she didn’t have much faith in her own words. She figured it wouldn’t be easy for the Hyuuga clan to accept Kirigakure into their lives and homes, not as quickly as Hikari seemed to have done. Although she had no ill-feelings towards the village itself, war was war after all, now people, that is where she had her resentment.

At her next words, it seemed to have helped cheer the girl up slightly as she smiled. It was a ghost of a smile, but a smile nonetheless. Hikari would have grinned at the fact she could help her out, yet at the moment the corners of her mouth turned upward slightly. The Kiri kunoichi appreciated her words before turning her attention to Kuro, complimenting him as a beautiful creature. Being able to understand the human tongue, he turned his head towards the Hyuuga and listened more intently on what she was saying. It was then she mentioned how he reminded her of the canines her brother used to raise in a village Hikari had never heard of, called Tengakure.

“Thank you, I found him injured in the forest and nursed him back to health.” Hikari openly shared, running her fingers through the fur on his head and causing his tail to wag back and forth happily. “What kind of village was or is Tengakure?” She thought better of asking about the woman’s brother or his canines, the thought of her saying that either had died would cause memories to flood back to the snowy haired girl, the feelings she tried to repress would spring up from the depths of her being and threaten to release themselves. Hikari couldn’t show weakness in front of the quiet woman, even if they were clanmates, they weren’t close enough to share such an intimate thing as crying in front of each other.

Her lilac eyes followed the women's movements as she reached for her abandoned bowl, showing its contents to her while she asked if Kuro could eat the beef left at the bottom. It would be a waste for the meat to get thrown away, and it couldn’t do any harm to Kuro for it was just meat.

“Yes, it would be a shame for that meat to go to waste when he would enjoy it. Thank you.” She smiled softly at the woman as she offered the beef to the greedily happy wolf, lapping at the food quickly. It was a luxury for him to taste the ramen broth that soaked into the beef, adding a new flavor to the wolf’s pallet. “Since you’ve been so kind to us, I feel it is only proper for us to introduce ourselves to you. I am Hikari, and this is Kuro.”

Hikari would extend her right hand out, offering a handshake if the girl grabbed her hand, releasing after two shakes. She had thought about the fact that she knew not who this woman was, yet it might become beneficial for her to know later on. The more “allies” she could make would help her on her quest, and it was a shame she had just now realized that. Hikari would have tried to be nicer than her first comments had her mind been functioning clearly.

(WC: 715)
(TWC: 1,963)

The woman tried to offer some words of encouragement, and though Aryll doubted they were factual, she did not doubt their sincerity. She said nothing more on the subject, not wanting to put a damper on the conversation with such matters. The woman briefly explained how she came to have her pet, before inquiring about Tengakure. Aryll would raise an eyebrow, curious as to how she had not heard of the former major village. However, she had heard tales of the arrogance of this village’s former leader, and she would not be surprised if he had simply omitted any acknowledgement of their village.

”It was our home before we became The Mist.” She said wistfully, a touch of nostalgia in her voice. ”The most advanced village of our time. We lived in houses that touched the sky, drew our power from the sun itself. It was paradise, in a way.” She said.

”But paradise breeds complacency, and Xyxer helped us see that. He ordered a migration and reformed us into something resembling his former home. All that remains of the village I was born in is rubble.” She frowned, looking down at her feet contemplatively.

”But we’re stronger for it.” She determined, looking up once more.

She smiled when the woman allowed her to feed the canine, offering the beast whatever scraps she had left. The woman offered her name, and for the first time, Aryll realized that the girl did not know who Aryll was. Shrugging, she offered her hand to the girl, shaking twice before providing her own name.

”Aryll Hyuuga, head of the Hyuuga clan.” She said politely. ”Pleasure to meet you, Hikari. And you as well, Kuro.” She smiled, patting the wolf’s head.

It came as no surprise to the snowy haired woman when her comment about Tengakure was met with a raised eyebrow. She knew her knowledge of the outside world was vastly limited, smaller villages escaped her mind when she tried to recall any, and even the remains of greater villages posed trouble for the Hyuuga when she tried to think back to her history lessons at the academy. As the woman informed her of the village, their home before they even became the Hidden Mist, Hikari intently listened to all that past her lips. It was previous new information about the world she had yet to travel across. The only place she had ever even remotely visited was Kumogakure, on a mission to safely deliver a merchant’s friend. They hadn’t seen much of the village or its scenery, her teammates wanting to quickly get home. It had been an exhausting journey with death nipping at their heels in the form of a red haired assassin, and no doubt they all wanted to be back within the confines of their village.

Tengakure would have been a marvelous village to live in, the Hyuuga thought as her clan mate recalled how the village’s houses touched the sky and their power came from the sun. Nothing she had ever read about came close to the advancements of this former village. She wondered why Xyxer would destroy a prosperous village and why he decided to remake them in the image of his previous home. Somehow Xyxer has shown his worth during that migration to keep so many followers, all devoted to him as Kiri was. Even the young woman in front of her spoke with admiration despite the fact he lead them away from the only home she ever had. Was it really such an easy task, to leave everything behind and follow someone who might not have been their leader? Hikari wasn’t sure on the details, but was becoming more and more curious about the inner workings of their minds, wanting to find out more about life both in Tengakure and Kirigakure. They were far different from her own life, a life easier in comparison it would seem. Yet also a life that was too sheltered and weak compared to their strong, armored lives. They knew tragedy, real brokenness, while she only knew death, grasping at hardship. 

The woman’s pretty face downturned momentarily when she spoke of her home, the remains of which was covered in rubble. Even she seemed to have a bit of grief over the loss of her former home, memories and feelings she could not escape having flooded back to her as she recalled another life. Yet she was divided, the past bringing sadness and the present bringing opportunity. Her eyes blazed with a determination, her belief of new found strength empowering her. Hikari had no doubts about the transition strengthening her, the obstacles she had faced most definitely shaped her into a more powerful shinobi, one worthy of serving in Xyxer’s army.

As the woman finished speaking, questions formed in her head, replies about what was just said. Her tone was gentle, her eyes glistened every so slightly with curiosity, “Your home sounded beautiful, I wish I could have witnessed its magnificence myself.” She wanted to acknowledge what the woman had said first, before continuing with her latter statements, “I do not know the power you wielded before you became part of The Mist, but I do not doubt the strength you obtained from all that happened, from the migration and destruction to the building of a new home.” Hikari paused briefly, her next question one likely to surprise the young woman. “What is it like living in Kirigakure?” 

She had asked another shinobi about Kirigakure, during the war when she was forced to heal him in order to keep Salzem alive, yet he crudely ignored her question despite them having held a conversation. In the end he knocked her unconscious, his hatred for her village and herself evident in the way he spoke to her, icy and cold. It was amazing how one could hate people they had never met before, just because of what they had heard from their leader. Luckily, it seemed not all of Kirigakure held such disdain for Konoha and its shinobi, or at the very least, they knew how to conceal it far better than the man whose name she knew not.

The woman smiled as Kuro lapped at the beef she gave him, perhaps reminiscing about the canines her brother raised and the times she might have fed them. Or perhaps Kuro has just charmed her quite well, the Hyuuga falling for his irresistible cuteness. Yes, although he was a ferocious wolf, he was also adorable, once someone got past his fangs and sharp gaze. Most never did. Except the woman known as Aryll, the head of the Hyuuga clan. 

Hikari’s lilac eyes widened slightly at the information given. She hadn’t expected to meet the head of her clan, especially in such a serene place as the gardens. It was a wonder that the woman didn’t immediately reprimand her for her rather harsh sentiments when they first met. She was thankful Aryll had more poise and constraint than other shinobi might have had.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, Aryll Hyuuga.” She returned the woman’s smile, wanting to be as friendly as she was. Kuro wagged his tail happily as she pet him, and barked softly once to signal he was also happy to meet her. Hopefully she could understand his gesture, but if not, Hikari would happily explain it to her. “Truthfully, I never expected to meet the head of our clan. If I may inquire…Is it difficult being in charge of the clan when you are living outside the district in another country, or are there just as many Hyuuga’s in Kirigakure?”

(Current WC: 2,950)

The woman spoke of Tengakure, and though her words were wistful, Aryll knew that the girl could never fully grasp the beauty of her home. Man lived in harmony with nature there, a peaceful metropolis of scientific innovation. If it had been left standing, it could have put them ahead by centuries of technological development, and yet... 

Tengakure was gone. Kirigakure reigned. Long live Kirigakure. Long live the Mizukage. She had learned these lessons well. Their home was powerful, powerful enough to besiege the land of fire without taking a single casualty. Powerful enough to conquer the world, if they wanted to. Molded from Tengakure was something monstrous, but something powerful, too. Aryll acknowledged the girl's words of comfort with a faint smile and a nod, not really knowing what else to say. For all that Konoha might have suffered, at the end of the day, only one of the two in that park knew what it was like to lose your home forever... At least, as far as Aryll knew. 

The girl then changed tact, going down the path of conversation that was, in all honesty, easy to see coming, very logical. Yet Aryll did not expect it. How could she? She hadn't heard a single ninja besides this one ask of their home. Perhaps she was finally beginning to see why Xyxer took an interest in this one. Why he spared her. 
"Cold." She said curtly. "Not like here. Here, I see complacency. People so sure of their strength that they stood up against a foe they were clearly outmatched against. In Kirigakure, the weakest of our Shinobi are culled." She began to explain. It was an ugly truth, but one that Aryll saw no reason to hide. It made them stronger. "Only the strongest survive the Blood Games, and become Chunin. Because of this, our Shinobi are some of the most powerful in the world. To be a Shinobi in Kirigakure is to strive for constant improvement, or else die at the hands of someone stronger." She said, rather tone deaf to the gravity of the conversation. 

To be a civilian in the streets of Kirigakure is the safest one could ever feel. The inhabitants of our village sleep well, knowing that they are safe. Crime is almost a nonissue in the village, due to our brutal methods." She added, as if to right the wrong of her previous sentence. "It is a surprisingly progressive village. It is a place where someone like me-" -She glanced down to her legs and shrugged reassuringly in case her clansmen was made uncomfortable by the statement- "-Can rise to the top, in spite of all the odds." She finished, her face having grown into a small smile. 

She smiled at the girl's warm welcome, and the wolf's as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Kuro." She added, patting the creature's head fondly. While she was distracted with the dog, the girl asked Aryll what was probably the most difficult question yet. 

"There's hardly any Hyuuga that live in the village full time." She said, shrugging sadly. "Not anymore, at least." And in that moment, a flash of sadness, of regret, of loss, flashed in Aryll's eyes. It was gone in a moment. "Mostly I deal with the elders visiting the village. I think they liked me over there more, it made me into a symbol they could use. I could be perfect, when nobody in the clan had ever actually met me. The perfect role model for all of the Hyuuga, 'prideful and hardworking, despite her hardships!'" Her tone was a falsetto, clearly overenthusiastic. Her expression shifted immediately to one of annoyance. "I can't imagine their faces when they saw me arrive at the village bearing the Hyuuga banner." She grinned a little. 

"I am hoping that I'll be able to oversee more of the clan's business, now that my home isn't quite so isolationist. Perhaps I'll even get to live with people of my own flesh and blood again. Wouldn't that be something?" She inquired. Her tone was growing more friendly and open very fast, as Aryll grew more comfortable with the person to whom she was speaking.

(2701)

Mid Thread Claim:

Approved