|SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP|

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Mon Nov 09, 2015 6:51 pm

Rekka hummed in agreement, pausing to take a bite of food afterwards. Simple as it was, it tasted fine, a little spicy but then Rekka liked spicy foods. Once she'd properly swallowed her bite did she speak to answer more properly.

"Speaking of, you'll have to point me in the direction of the local tattoo shops," Rekka mentioned. Despite this new world and these new abilities, she wasn't ready to let go of that aspiration yet. It was familiar and a starting point here in this place at least.

Peyote had moved to make himself comfortable at the little kitchen table as she'd carried on, waving off his concern for the meal. Rekka moved in time to lean back against the counter, watching briefly as the fox spirit wandered away through a wall and into other parts of the house presumably. Perhaps she was curious and wanted to know the layout for future reference. Well, Rekka would leave the fox to it. Whatever made things easy.

An indulgent chuckle escaped her at Peyote's small rambling. Was he always this talkative? Rekka honestly couldn't remember from the role he'd played in that manga.

"Well, you're in luck then! I'm pretty easy to please most days," she admitted.

----[x]----

Mohammed blinked, admittedly a little startled at Mato's sudden comment. It sounded so serious to Mohammed's ears and yet the words had brought a small smile tugging at Kalila's lips. Perhaps, despite just meeting him today, they had a bond already. He couldn't say for sure how totem spirits worked, at any rate, and it was entirely possible that was the case.

He was glad to see that she was not entirely so far gone in her fears and anxiety. It might be easier yet for her to accommodate at this rate, assuming nothing went wrong. Perhaps the stoic bear being there was better than he could have originally thought it would be.

A chuckle escaped Mohammed as Kalila answered Mato. There was humor there in her voice which brought further relief to Mohammed. If she could keep that with her, despite any of the trying times she would face with those around her now, she might end up all right. Mohammed could only hope so at least.

"Despite just meeting you two already seem like fast friends," Mohammed noted. It was strange to think of a spirit ally like that, but then his was Djinn, made to serve the shaman he allied with. Friendship wasn't wholly required for teamwork and trust to already be there. Mohammed made no mention of this however.

As they spoke they continued to walk. This place was rather spacious, a blessing for what their safe houses usually ended up being. If only it had been in better shape however...

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:34 pm

Rekka didn't seem to dislike what he had made, so he'd leave it at that. Instead, she focused on something else. Her want to find a way into the tattooing seemed like something she didn't plan on giving up on. There might be artist down here but she'd have to learn quite a bit of Spanish if most weren't English speaking people.

He rubbed his jaw, thinking it through. If she knew a bit of Spanish here and there, who was to say she couldn't pick it up quickly. Get in some good practice and she would be fine.

"There are some," he replied, "Though, you'll probably need to learn more of the language before you go into anyone, trying to request an apprenticeship. I can show you around though, sometime."

She might have been the ambitious type, wanting to get ahead in that very moment despite some of the problems in the way. At least she could look ahead in life. That was a good trait to have.

Peyote offered a chuckle in response to her comment. Well, that was a relief to hear. She did appear to be a rather simple woman. In that, he could deal with quite a bit.

"Good to know. I'm a simple man with simple pleasures. It's nice to find others who share the same," he answered her.

---- [ x ] ----

It was strange how at ease she suddenly felt. Then again, she knew it was a temporary thing. Kalila tried to push it from her mind for the time being. There was always time to fret about it elsewhere.

She blinked, her gaze falling back on Mohammed as he spoke. Was it that or was it simply she felt Mato should be there? It was a strange thing and she couldn't quite explain.

"It just feels...natural, I guess," she finally admitted, "Like he's supposed to be here."

"This is not surprising. A totem is always with you. Whatever transpired before simply woke your ability to see me." Mato explained easily.

Kalila still wondered about that. What was it that suddenly woke this power in her? Or maybe it was just the convenience of being sucked into a fictional world. It really was hard to wrap her mind around.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:59 pm

Rekka ate more of the small meal while Peyote stopped to think over her request. She mused over just how helpful he was being to her, a stranger still, and wondered why that was again. He had to have his reasons, of course, but Rekka couldn't fathom exactly what they might be. She only had maybes for answers. Maybe one day she'd ask...

She offered another brief smile at his comment, true as it was. He couldn't have known how she functioned, that just by knowing where the viable shops were that might take her in under their wing would motivate her quicker than anything else. Seeing the eventual goal made her work harder and quicker than if she couldn't see it or didn't know where it was at.

"True enough," she relented. "And if you have the time to spare I wouldn't mind a tour of the city sometime."

Rekka honestly wasn't even sure what kind of work schedule Peyote took to, if any. Did he work a normal job at all? He seemed to be a regular at that bar if what he said was true but did he also work there or something? Nothing about his life in Mexico has really been solidified when it was all just a work of fiction...

"Sounds like you just haven't been meeting the right people," she half-joked, polishing off her food afterwards.

----[x]----

Had she not realized her change of pace with the bear in just a few minutes time? From the look on her face she might not have. Mohammed chuckled at that, more than a little amused by the observation. What a strange pair to have run into in the desert, much less to have rescued from the heat and sun.

"Perhaps whatever brought you to the desert is to be credited for that," Mohammed pointed out. Even so he wasn't even sure what might have happened for her to seemingly teleport from one place to another with no knowledge of the interim. Perhaps her memories were merely forgotten for a time, to be recovered later. He would enjoy hearing of them if that was the case.

The silence followed for a moment, hushed voices familiar to him reaching his ears in the meantime. What must all of them think, having this American among their number. An American, no less, that had no information to share for their wellbeing. Mohammed tried not to think of that wasted opportunity.

It was not until he'd turned his attention more fully back to Kalila did he realize how in need of proper rest she might actually be. There was no telling how long she'd been out under that desert sun, deprived of proper clothing for this area of the world and of water. Perhaps it had been needless to drag her about like this so soon.

"My apologies, you must be very tired, Kalila," he pointed out. "If you need to we can head back so you can rest."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Mon Nov 09, 2015 9:38 pm

She was enthusiastic, he'd give her that. Most might have been panicking to come down this far without any knowledge of the language or the people. On top of that, nearly being robbed as well would have chased most away.

Here she sat, seemingly getting ready to try and make a life here, if that was her plan. There was something admirably about that.

"There's a lot to see," he answered with a slight smile, "And given this must be your first time down here, you're probably going to want to see everything."

It was just a guess but she seemed the type. While she was subdued before, he was starting to find a bit of an ambitious side to her. It wasn't too loud but it was definitely there. Who knew, maybe he'd see more of it later.

Peyote couldn't help but chuckle in response to her words. Truth be told, he did attracted some nasty company once in a while. Then again, running the bar, there were more than enough brawls to ensure no one was really quite 'friendly' with each other.

"I've been in enough fights to tell you that's true," he answered, a bit of humor in his tone, "It's a rough and tumble town. More people who frequent the bar only do it for a good fight."

---- [ x ] ----

He had a point though, maybe there was something more to that. Kalila didn't quite question it right now. In time, she would ask Mato more. He was meant to be her guide and as such, she needed to know as much as she could about her totem.

Kalila listened to the voices though, couldn't make out a word of what was being said. Once in a while, she heard a young voice of a child or even a baby whine here and there. It made her heart ache to know kids were involved with this too...

She blinked, her attention turning toward Mohammed again as he spoke up. It wasn't much, a simple apology but really, she didn't quite mind. She ached here and there, more or less just felt drained, but it was important to know this place as well.

"Ah, no, that's alright," Kalila replied, "It's better to have walked around, even for a little bit. I probably would have been worse off if I hadn't."

She was well aware that her mind would race if she was left to her own devices here. At least this way, the walk and talk had served as a distraction, even if it was rambling off unrelated topics or just rambling in general.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:57 am

Rekka caught the small smile Peyote adorned as she moved to stick her plate in the sink. Vaguely she wondered why he was smiling, if she was somehow that interesting or if it was some other thought he had at the moment. Maybe it didn't matter either way. With that thought, Rekka shook the question from her head.

An amused hum escaped her at Peyote's assumption. Was she that easy to read, or to get to know? Maybe. Instead of dwelling on it, she said "Well, of course!"

She leaned back against the counter again, reaching for the bottle of pop. Now was a good time for another drink as Peyote spoke at any rate. All the same, her brow furrowed at his answer. From what she recalled of that Bar Rescue show fighting didn't do much to bring in much revenue. Only once she'd satisfied her thirst would she answer him.

"Really? How does it get any worthwhile business then...?"

Her question wasn't meant to offend, it was merely asked out of curiosity. Surely the owner of the bar needed to pay bills and other expenses and if the place was full of bar fights it would drive away prospective new customers. Rekka just didn't get it.

----[x]----

She seemed surprised when he offered to head back to that original room so that she might rest. Only a moment or so had passed before she'd declined, carrying on to mention that the walking did her some good. If that was the case, if it was really that easy, Mohammed would keep that in mind. Better something than nothing at all.

"If you are certain," he relented, keeping their pace even. He would have easily turned them around if she'd agreed. "I'm afraid that there isn't much more to see, however."

Really, this building was so run down that any interesting factors that it might once have had had long since decayed. It was a shame, really, but no one could afford to fix buildings not in use much less out in zones like this. Mohammed shook his head at that though did not verbalize those thoughts. There was no reason to bring it to Kalila's attention right now.

Instead of all that, Mohammed said "Perhaps you might tell me more about yourself while we walk then?"

Getting to know her might be ideal, if only to know how to treat her and interact with her better. Americans were something of a strange breed in Mohammed's opinion after all. It might be best to learn sooner rather than later.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Tue Nov 10, 2015 4:27 pm

He'd certainly guessed correctly. Then again, things like that were easy to read. Most American's trotting down here either wanted to see the ruins or the culture. It was how a lot of places kept up in business.

She took her time to eat and drink, probably needing it more than he was aware of. Peyote didn't mind. The time to just sit still was enough for him.

He blinked, however, when this new question was directed to him. How could he go about explaining that? As far as he knew, most bars in America had their moments but weren't nearly as rough.

"They look for the fights, I guess," he finally answered, leaning back in his chair again, "It's just how things are here, chica. What is considered 'law' tends to be taken into the hands of an individual, even if it means persecution later. If someone has a problem with another, they tend to take it into their own hands. It just seems to always end up in the bar, is all."

He paused then, thinking it through. Maybe that wasn't quite a good way to justify it but most were aware of how broken things were down here as well.

"Course, you might just consider us all loco, yea?"

---- [ x ] ----

As long as she wasn't on the verge of collapse, she figured she could tough it out for a while longer. Kalila knew nothing of the desert or it's hardships, much less this place. It was best to learn now while she had the chance and was clear minded.

Still, that left the conversation drawing to a halt for a moment. It wasn't a few beats later didn't Mohammed ask more about herself. She truly didn't have much to tell other than her hobbies and even those weren't much.

"Ah...ummm, apart from hobbies, there's not a whole lot I can't think of," she answered, "But I liked to paint and I was learning how to play the violin back home. Rode horses on occasion but other than that and my job, I had a tendency just to stay home. Too many people around is draining, too many emotions."

She was well aware of her abilities as an empath, had known it for some time now. Trying to explain it to people who didn't quite understand was always far too difficult. It was just best to avoid such things.

"More or less, I'm just your lonely shut in," she continued, sparing a small smile, "It never really bothered me. I liked it that way."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:48 pm

Peyote didn't seem to mind the question, taking a moment or two to think over the answer to it. Rekka waited patiently, seeing no need to rush him for it. It wasn't going to do anyone any good to go about fussing about quicker answers. Besides, she wasn't entirely sure Peyote would take to being rushed anyways.

Eventually he took to explaining, giving a clearer picture of the bar's clientele. It sounded like mostly it was natives, and why wouldn't it be? Tourists hardly came around for a fight when they went to see new countries. Still, it was odd to hear someone just out and say how it was around here so casually.

"Well, I can't say 'loco' because I happen to enjoy a good fight happening," Rekka admitted. Growing up with an elder brother who liked watching MMA fights certainly had helped that like along. All the same she offered a good-humored sigh. "Mexico is strange!"

Then again she'd certainly known that, what with all the crime that ran rampant around many of these parts. Rekka could only hope that she'd be all right here in the long run. Didn't some folks sometimes target American tourists, or was that later down the road? Rekka couldn't remember.

"Here I thought most people went to bars to drown their sorrows or to have a good time, not to beat someone's face in!" she half-joked.

----[x]----

The question seemed to have caught her off guard what with the way she stammered and had to think over her answer. Mohammed waited politely for her to come up with something to tell him. Perhaps she was the type to believe she wasn't all that interesting and worth talking about after all.

It did not take long for his patience to be rewarded, despite Kalila's initial hesitance. Small as her pool of hobbies seemed to be, or at least the ones she deemed important enough to talk about, it at least gave Mohammed a greater insight to her as a person. He offered a small smile, thankful for her answer, even if she didn't deem it very important overall.

"Sounds to me like you're someone who enjoys simpler things, or at least quieter ones then," he observed aloud. "Which is not always such a bad a thing."

Personally, Mohammed could be attributed to a bit of the same. Quiet places and hobbies appealed to him if only due to the ringing gunshots he heard so often in his life. Combat was messy and quick, and hardly did they go as planned. It was stressful and left little room for Mohammed to clear his head. As such, any chance to do so was greatly appreciated.

"Perhaps we might be able to find something for you to do in the quieter moments, if we're lucky," Mohammed continued to say. He couldn't promise anything, most of those here took to necessities rather than pursuing hobbies. There wasn't always time to after all.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:26 pm

Rekka seemed intent on listening and as his answer passed, she merely blinked, claiming she didn't mind a good fight or two. He couldn't help but snicker a little but at that. She was such a scrawny looking thing, how could she be that into fighting? Then again, who was he to say?

"We'll, you're going to be an interesting sort if you're in the bar when something goes down," he answered lightly.

To her, this place probably was weird. It was a far step out of her element and she no doubt wasn't sure what to expect. He couldn't fault her for that or her curiosities. Honestly, just being brave enough to stick around after she might witness these things would end up telling him what he needed to know.

"Mexico is strange to people on the outside," he joked in return, "We're just all too used to the normal hustle and bustle."

Peyote couldn't help but snort in amusement at her words. Really, he had pictured biker bars in America to be much the same but it seemed he might have been wrong on that. Ironic how that ended up! Mexican bars, so much worse.

"It's a little bit a both!" he pointed out, "Provided no one dies, that is."

---- [ x ] ----

His assumption was true. She did prefer the quiet over hustle and bustle. Too much of that and she grew overly skittish. She just wished for things to be peaceful. That made her happy.

"You're pretty much right about that," she told him in return, sparing a glance, "I've never been fond of the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life or interactions."

True, she worked for the public and socialized pretty well but even that was exhausting. Putting on a smile for everyone who came in, faking feelings like she wasn't hurt when someone caused a problem. It could wear her down after a while.

"I'd just like to be somewhere quiet one day," she carried on, "Not too many people, dark enough to see the stars at night. It's always been a big dream of mine."

Whether or not she'd achieve such a thing remained to be seen. She hadn't really looked too far into the future when it came to what she was going to do. Now Kalila was at an absolute loss, stuck in this world. Then again...maybe things could work out better this way.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:46 pm

"Aha, remind me not to visit a bar alone then," she half-joked. She certainly had no intentions of doing that at any rate, not if the possibility of dying was pretty real. A fight might be enjoyable to watch but watching someone die... the thought of it left her wary.

The conversation carried on rather easily, surprisingly so. Rekka had always pegged Peyote as being rather grumpy and hard to get along with given what she briefly recalled of that manga. Had that been incorrect? Or was it perhaps only due to his role in that fictional work to portray him that way? Over time those questions grew harder to answer as the days slowly passed that week.

It was certainly strange, living in Mexico with someone she had previously known to be a fictional character. The sounds of his home settling in at night; the Spanish; the hustle and bustle of Oaxaca and the new responsibilities as a shaman, it was all a lot to take in. For the most part Peyote aided her when he was not working himself, revealing that he actually ran that little bar they'd met in front of.

Now she found herself half-asleep on his couch, the all too familiar sound of an alarm clock blaring from Peyote's room. She'd grown accustomed to it, waking up even with him but wasn't he supposed to have the day off? He'd expressed an interest in sleeping in today...

Rekka waited a moment longer, attempting to doze off again. She was tired, everything slowly but surely catching up to her in time. Sleep did wonders in forgetting about it all for a time. And yet that alarm kept blaring...

----[x]----

To see the stars at night... It had seemed like such a simple thing to Mohammed yet the way Kalila's gaze had almost softened, a ghost of a smile on her lips as she'd imagined it... It made it difficult to push aside when she was having such a difficult time throughout the week as is. Try as he might Mohammed could only do so much himself to lift her mood and aid her after all. His responsibilities kept him busy as it was...

Perhaps that was now why he was heading to Kalila's borrowed room in this place before moving to take his place on watch. The person to be relieved still had a good fifteen minutes, more than enough time for Mohammed to wake and further rouse Kalila. It might be dangerous but that wish of hers remained lodged in his head too strongly to ignore any longer.

Quietly, he rapped his knuckles upon the rickety door before peering inside carefully. The hinges didn't creak so loudly as he slowly opened the door to do so, catching Kalila with the meager covers kicked off of her. Mohammed allowed a scoff in amusement to escape him before he moved further inside.

"Kalila?" he spoke, reaching out when he was close enough to shake her shoulder. If her bear spirit was here he did not seem to perceive Mohammed as a threat tonight, or perhaps Mato was merely curiously watching from somewhere Mohammed could not see. "Kalila."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:15 am

The day had passed rather quickly. Company was an odd thing to Peyote but he didn't necessarily dislike Rekka's. In fact, he found the woman quite fun to be around. To think he'd enjoy the company of another so much seemed foreign. Peyote didn't complain, however.

Work was still work however. He spent most days in the bar or playing music. Rekka had gotten to see quite a bit of that. Honestly, she seemed to be quite enamored with the place despite not understanding much of the language or the people.

It didn't matter. She was happy and a happy person meant they were okay.

Peyote had the day off that day but he could hear his alarm buzzing loudly. He remained where he was, laying in his bed, blanket only half covering him. He would have gotten up and turned it off but he was tired, far too deep in sleep to quite care.

It would turn off on it's own eventually. The sound was just a distant thing and he would let it go until it decided to quiet itself.

---- [ x ] ----

The week passed slowly for Kalila. She remained in this place, sometimes on her own. Mohammed had his duties, after all, and that left her only with Mato's company. That wasn't a bad thing, if she was honest. She was learning a lot from him, about her culture and what it meant to be a shaman. Still, she knew she had a long way to go.

Nights turned into days and then nights again. Kalila still had trouble sleeping in the place. Days were unbearably warm and nights were cooler, something she could appreciate. Even so, she ached for home and her own bed, leaving it difficult to stay asleep.

That night, she had drifted off enough but still heard a rap on the door. She heard it being pushed open and someone stepping in. A hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice caught her attention.

Kalila forced her eyes open, shifting as she looked over her shoulder to find Mohammed. Was something wrong? Did they need to move or something? She didn't hear any ruckus outside.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, sitting up a little before she spoke, "Is something wrong, Mohammed?"

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:26 am

The longer she waited for the alarm to quiet the more she realized it wasn't going to happen. A groan escaped her at that, the noise was keeping her from dozing off in those cool early morning hours. All she wanted was to sleep, damnit!

Without much thought, Rekka shifted to stand, borrowed blanket tugged around her still. She padded sluggishly to Peyote's room, nudging the half-opened door open further with her foot. In just a few steps she was at the foot of his bed to which she promptly flopped onto the mattress with a groan muffled only by comforter.

The alarm was louder in here and it was a wonder to Rekka how Peyote was even sleeping through it. To be honest, it was only the shifting of the bed that told her he even woke up to her half-asleep intrusion.

"Please turn off the fucking alarm," she all but begged, words muffled still by the comforter. If she was more awake she might have been able to note the smell of the laundry soap he used. As it was she merely curled up where she'd flopped and refused to move further, eyes already closed and ready to doze right off again.

Peyote's bed was comfy, actually, compared to the couch. Not that she was complaining, a place to sleep was better than nothing. All the same, an actual bed was always preferable.

----[x]----

It took Kalila a moment to rouse fully, turning to blink blearily up at him. Already she had jumped to conclusions though he couldn't fault her for that. Ordinarily that would have been the case after all. For now he had a bit of surprise for her, even if it might be a little dumb. He had to keep watch after all, not entertain someone. Still...

"No, nothing's wrong," he answered with a hushed chuckle following after. "I have watch duty tonight, I thought you might want to see the stars."

It would be the best opportunity to, away from many of the major cities and their lights. It was easier to stay hidden like this. There was no telling who might pass along information for whatever reasons they deemed necessary to do so. No one wanted to risk any of that, so such dilapidated buildings were their best option most times.

"Of course if you'd rather sleep further," Mohammed continued, allowing her the choice. Perhaps sleep was a welcome thing for her in these times. He couldn't say for sure how the week had really treated her after all.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:53 am

The sound didn't quite bother him. It was a distant thing as he tried to doze off again. What woke him a little more was the sound of the door creaking open and footsteps padding into the room. Then, without warning, Rekka had flopped onto the bed, her weight shifting the mattress a little as she did so.

He opened his eyes a little, glancing at her. Despite her complaints, she wasn't moving and urged him to turn off the alarm instead. Peyote grunted as he pushed himself up, ignoring a pop or two as he shifted in movement.

On his feet, he moved to the alarm not a few feet away and hit the off button on the thing, silencing the room once more. With that done, Peyote moved back, laying back down, leaving the blanket wherever it was.

"You're comfortable," he pointed out groggily. It wasn't as if he minded. It was just a little funny how comfortable she was right now.

If she wanted to stay on his bed, he didn't care. Sleep was what he wanted, staying asleep for a while longer. Days off seemed rare and he just wanted to catch up on whatever rest he had missed.

---- [ x ] ----

Relief washed over Kalila when she realized nothing was wrong. So what was it that he wanted? She waited patiently for him to speak up again. What he did say, she didn't quite expect. To see the stars out here, where the night was so dark...she couldn't miss the opportunity!

Even so, he gave her a choice in the matter. It was in that she quite appreciated. He always made sure she had an option, even in a place where it might seem like she had very little of that in the first place.

"No, no," she finally replied, almost eagerly despite her groggy tone, "I'll get up. I'm fine."

Kalila swung her legs off the bed, stretching a little to wake her muscles up. There would be plenty time for sleep, even during the day if she felt too tired. Right now, she didn't want to miss anything like this. So she stood, ignoring the chill in the air.

"I'd love to see that," she said, sparing a small smile, "Thank you...for thinking of me."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:06 am

Rekka received nothing but a scoff in answer though she felt the mattress shift as Peyote got up. She was honestly a little surprised, given how long he'd ignored the alarm as it was. It would have been entirely within her realm of belief that he'd just ignore her and doze off again.

A smile stretched across her lips as the alarm was silenced and Peyote laid back down. Surprisingly enough he didn't attempt to shoe her away and reclaim his bed. Maybe it was something he just didn't mind, he certainly didn't seem like the shy type anyways.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed after a moment. "Lots of blankets and warmth."

Well, that wasn't entirely true. Two blankets were nothing compared to the doubled amount she'd kept upon her bed in the late autumn and winter months before waking in this world. Still, even just a simple change from couch to an actual bed did wonders.

----[x]----

Mohammed chuckled at the eagerness that woke Kalila more fully. It seemed this was the right thing to do. As simple as it was, it was at least boosting her morale. If that's what it took to keep her going strong, well, Mohammed was more than happy to indulge her. Hardly any harm could come from it, so long as he remained vigilant. Djinn could aid him with that easily.

He spared a smile, glad to see her perking up a bit. Already he'd turned, however, gesturing for her to follow. "It's no problem, I assure you. I do recommend grabbing your shoes, and something to keep warmer in if necessary."

The desert nights were far cooler than some expected, especially tourists. Granted, not too many tourists came around in recent years and for good reason. Too much happened here that could end in a violent death to warrant someone's justification of it.

"There is plenty of time for you to do so. Fajer has about ten more minutes of his watch left still," Mohammed reassured her.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:30 am

She barely moved in response to his words. Simply shifted a little, as if to cuddle into her blankets more. Maybe being so scrawny left it hard to retain warmth, even when it came how hot it could get here sometimes. For all he knew, she thrived in it.

The contentment in her voice wasn't missed. In fact, despite sounding so groggy, she sounded downright pleased with the situation.

If he would have known sooner, maybe he would have offered to let her stay in here from the start. Then again, maybe that would have been awkward.

"Shoulda told me earlier," he answered, closing his eyes again, "Would have kept you a lot happier this way."

A little warmth and a nice bed wasn't hard to provide. Rekka wasn't exactly a shy one, at least not that he had seen. Here she lay in his bed after only a week. He didn't quite see her being too awkward after this.

---- [ x ] ----

Mohammed didn't have to do this, didn't have to offer these things. It filled her with warmth to know somewhere, he cared enough to listen and remember what she said. This was so small, yet it was important to her.

Taking up his word, she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her hoodie. It wasn't incredibly thick, so just in case she took the blanket as well. While it was still warm here, heat absorbed by the stone walls, it would be far chillier outside.

"Still, it feels important to me," she replied after a moment, "That you remembered something so small. You've your own troubles, you really don't have to do this."

It was the truth, she felt. When it came to this war, he was really doing more for her than she had expected. Maybe he just wanted to make sure she had something to look forward to or to make sure she was happy. True enough, he'd seen a bit of her depression here and there. Maybe that is what influenced his decision.

"I'm glad. You've made me so happy," she pointed out.

That could be a little much but Kalila wasn't one to simply leave her emotions inside, at least no the positive ones. Those were often the ones that came out at any time, even if it sounded awkward in the end.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:48 am

As per her usual sleeping arrangements, a good chunk of the blanket she had was cuddled close to her chest as if in lieu of some stuffed animal or person. Rekka sighed contently even as Peyote spoke up again, somewhat chastising in his words. She didn't mind, not at the moment.

"Mmm," she hummed again before growing silent for a time.

Briefly, groggily even, Rekka wondered why he was so intent on aiding her and keeping her happy. Only knowing each other a week as it was, it seemed excessive and foolish even. Was there something she was missing? Dozing as she was, Rekka was unable to come up with a clear answer.

Curious of the answer, Rekka found herself reaching out to tug at his wife beater, or, in lieu of that if he'd shed it during the night, to poke his side and gain his attention. Sleepy as she was it was easier to say what was on her mind than usual. Blunt and unabashed as she usually was there were still thinks she was conscious and shy about, maybe even wary of saying or asking.

"Peyote? Why're you helping me so much?"

---[x]----

She moved quite quickly despite just waking up. It was funny, actually, how motivated just seeing the stars had made her. It was enough to bring a smile to Mohammed's lips at any rate, even as he waited for her. She'd even gone and grabbed the blanket just as a precaution!

Only once Kalila was ready did Mohammed lead them out, keeping a relatively swift yet even pacing for her to pick up. There wasn't much need to let Fajer wait longer than necessary, after all. Perhaps relieving him a few minutes early might make him less inclined to ask questions. Mohammed wasn't entirely in the mood to explain himself time and again.

Her admittance surprised him somewhat and he blinked down at her. He had? He was merely doing what he always did, protecting those that he could and Kalila fell into that division. He couldn't well leave her to her own devices and let her morale drop. It was always painful to see.

Besides, she looked far better when she was smiling.

Mohammed waved a dismissive hand and said "I am glad to hear yet you have no need to thank me. I assure you, seeing you smiling again is enough thanks."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:06 am

Rekka barely responded and he believed that perhaps she might have started dozing off once again. He closed his eyes, ready to let himself fall asleep again. Instead, the bed shifted and creaked again when she shifted.

He felt her hand reach out to him. The question was unexpected. For a few beats, Peyote wasn't sure how to answer it. She was a shaman, and so he felt akin to her but she wasn't just that.

How was he supposed to answer that without coming off as strong?

"Apart from liking you, you mean?" he asked in return, "That's about it...I'm weirdly comfortable around you, chica, more so than most."

That might have been odd but she had asked. Peyote heaved a sigh and closed his eyes again. She could take that for what she will. If she was happy, that's what was important.

---- [ x ] ----

He seemed to take some amusement out of her eagerness and why wouldn't he? This was probably the most energy she'd shown since waking here. Most days were hard to even manage a small smile or to make conversation.

They started down the hall, Kalila suddenly feeling lighter than she had in days. She knew things might not look up entirely but this was something that she was meant to enjoy.

What he said though, is what made her cheeks warm a little, combating the chill in the air. Did he really like her smile that much? That was so hard to believe...

"I...uh," she started awkwardly, "Well thank you."

That seemed like the right thing to say to a compliment. Maybe things were looking up, just a little bit. She just hoped it would stay that way.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:57 am

For a long moment or two Peyote hadn't answered her question and she believed he might have fallen back asleep already. After some time Peyote did answer, though it was questionable how much Rekka's sleep-drenched mind would remember later, or even how it chose to process the the information now. All the same she smiled, hidden by the blankets she cuddled into.

"Mmm, okay," she answered finally, simply. Her hand remained atop Peyote's stomach where she'd left it after gathering his attention, seeing no need to pull it back. Whether or not her half-asleep mind fully wrapped around the implication of his answer had yet to be seen yet or not.

It grew quiet after that, the sounds of the house settling in on itself every so often reaching her ears. It was a comfortable thing, she found, just laying there and dozing off. Maybe Peyote thought so to, able to sleep in and just relax like this. As far as she knew there weren't any plans he had to see to today. It was a good day to catch up on sleep and the like.

For all Rekka knew Peyote had no inclination to leave the house today either. Well, Rekka wouldn't mind that much, truth be told. She was finding she enjoyed time with Peyote even if it was just something as simple as sitting in the front room and drawing while he played guitar.

----[x]----

Who would have known that something so simple was all it would take to keep her mood up? Mohammed was grateful for that either way. There wasn't a whole lot he could do for her outside of simple things, not with the given set of circumstances.

He spared a glance at her as they walked, an amused sound escaping him. Even in the dark he could tell his comment had gotten to her, her face morphed into a shier smile than he'd seen of her this week. It was rather cute, though he kept that thought to himself. There wasn't much need to tease Kalila after all.

"You're very welcome," he answered nonetheless.

With how quickly he had them walking they reached the small balcony on the second level quickly enough. This was just one of two places that they had a watchman at night, just in case. Even so, Mohammed and the others sometimes worried it might clue someone in. Better safe than sorry however.

At Fajer's curious look at Kalila's presence Mohammed held up a hand and spoke a few words in Arabic. Fajer didn't seem too inclined to argue about it, offering only a shrug and moving to head inside and to sleep. Perhaps he was eager to rest which made him more cooperative to Mohammed's company on his watch.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:57 pm

She didn't say much more after that, simply hummed in response and silenced once again. Was that a little much or was she just tired? He had noticed, funny as it was, that she could sleep all day if one let her. Provided, if she was tired enough.

She left her hand on his stomach, an oddly pleasing thing. Peyote didn't question it. Mind as well stay comfortable whilst he could. The usual hustle and bustle would start again in a few hours. Right now, all he wanted was to sleep.

Peyote closed his eyes again. He'd worry about what he said later. If Rekka asked again, maybe there would be better answers when he was a little more awake. Who knew.

"Wouldn't worry about it," he finally admitted groggily, "If you didn't want to stay, you would have left a while ago."

He felt that was the truth. If she hadn't wanted to stick around, she would have taken off when she had the chance. Her plans currently seemed to stick with him. How strange that was, though he wasn't complaining. He found he quite liked Rekka despite having only met her a week ago.

---- [ x ] ----

Kalila tried to let her face cool, the air nipping at her hot cheeks. It was no big secret that she was the bashful type. Still, he might just be discovering that now. That wasn't a bad thing, was it?

She followed him outside, the cool air quickly nipping at any exposed flesh. How they dealt with this on a regular basis, she didn't know. Kalila liked the cold but not when it was this cold. The sand would still be warm, she was sure, after being baked in the sun all day.

Already, her gaze had reached the sky, thousands of stars dotting what used to be an inky black canvas. So much light pollution back home had made it look like nothing but black. Out here, those stars seemed to make the entire sky glow softly.

Whatever was said in between, Kalila had only half paid attention to. It wasn't as if she could understand it anyways. As long as she wasn't being forced back inside, she would be fine.

"This is amazing," she finally said, her tone soft, as if she might be afraid that the entire thing was a dream. If it was, she didn't want to wake up.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:27 pm

Things were calm compared to the usual hustle and bustle Rekka was growing to know was usual for Oaxaca. It was a nice change of pace, leaving her time to recharge, so to speak. Perhaps Peyote felt the same way, laying here like this. If she were more awake Rekka might have find herself a little timid, unused to really finding herself in situations like this. As it stood now, she was quite content.

Peyote spoke again, rousing her from her light doze. She forced her eyes open briefly, catching him in what little streetlights filtered in through the blinds. He seemed rather content as they were, sharing his bed like this. Maybe having another warm body at his side was pleasing, who knew? Rekka's sleep-addled mind didn't dwell on it for long.

"I like it here," she admitted sleepily. "'Sides you're nicer then you look."

It was certainly true enough. Peyote had had no reason to take her in and help her like this and yet he was. Sometimes she found herself wondering about the whys but ultimately didn't bring herself to ask until now. Half asleep like this, it made it easier to broach such topics. Whether or not she'd remember them later was the question however.

Maybe it was weird for her to stick around like this but she didn't see any harm in it. In the week that had passed Peyote hadn't really done anything to make her think twice about it.

----[x]----

Only when Fajer had entered the building did Mohammed briefly turn his attention to Kalila. An amused smile tugged at the corners of his lips, her gaze already firmly upon the brilliant stars above. Mohammed moved to seat himself where Fajer had currently taken up his post, rifle in hand. If Kalila had noticed it on their way here she hadn't said much about it. Perhaps she was already used to so many of them keeping a firearm at their side.

"I am glad you think so," he admitted.

Mohammed set the rifle aside, leaning it carefully along the railing of the balcony for the time being. The safety might be on at the moment but letting it drop to the ground wasn't going to do him any favors. Weapons had to be kept in top shape to be reliable, firearms especially so. Once both hands were freed up did he move to press two fingers to the gem he used as his medium, summoning Djinn from within it.

If this drew Kalila's attention, never having viewed Djinn before, Mohammed didn't necessarily notice right away. Instead he nodded to Djinn as he formed, arms folded over his chest.

"I wish for you to aid me on my watch tonight," Mohammed spoke simply.

Djinn seemed pleased enough to do something, a small grin appearing upon the spirit's face as he nodded. "As you wish, Master."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 3:42 pm

He would have chuckled at that comment. Most people saw him as something to be afraid of and they weren't entirely wrong on that. He could be dangerous, truth be told, but he hadn't done anything drastic as of late. Weed helped, though, she didn't need to know that right now.

"I'm a god damn saint," he joked groggily in response.

Far from it but she seemed to quite like a joke here and there. Despite being half asleep, he could still offer that much energy.

A contented sigh left him a moment after. It wasn't often that another body lay in his bed. She was warm and her hand laid on his stomach was a constant reminder that she was still there. Rekka seemed pleased to remain there as long as she could.

"'Sides, you seem to have made yourself a home here," he continued after a moment.

Truth be told, she was pretty well liked, so unlike most of the other American's who had come into Mexico. Some were far too confident, often getting put in their place before they could realize it. Rekka simply seemed genuinely curious of this place and the culture. In that, many she had already met held some respect for her.

---- [ x ] ----

Mohammed had moved from her side briefly to seat himself down. Even so, her gaze was fixated on the sky. She couldn't tear her gaze away. It was a lot like an old patron had told her when he'd seen them. He felt so small and in those moments, Kalila very much felt the same.

What could she say? This was such a large dream and he'd had easily made that come true. It might have only been to keep her moral up but even so, she was grateful.

Only once did she tear her gaze away when his spirit, Djinn if she recalled, was summoned to aid in watch. The spirit wasn't pretty but then again, she recalled that some djinn in mythology were depicted as monsters.

"You can make wishes?" she inquired, sparing a brief glance at Mohammed. She did for a moment before her gaze was on the sky again. She didn't want to miss a moment of this sky.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:16 pm

Rekka allowed a sleepy chuckle to escape her. Peyote, a saint? That was quite an image! He might not have lost his temper or started fights himself in the week she'd lived with him but she recalled enough from her world to know what he was really capable of.

"Favorite saint then," she murmured in good humor.

It was quiet for a time then in which Rekka listened to the silence around them. If she'd had the motivation and energy to she might've gone to fetch her phone and play some quiet music. As it stood things were fine as they were. In the silence she could even hear Peyote sighing though it didn't seem to be out of frustration or annoyance. Soon after he'd spoken once more.

A home here, huh? Rekka hadn't dared think that much of this place though she did admit it was comfortable living with Peyote. Perhaps things were better off here in Mexico than she'd had back in the States. A strange thought to entertain in those early hours.

"Think so...?"

----[x]----

Djinn did not wait long after his acceptance of Mohammed's first wish that day, zipping off into the distance high above them. It would be far easy for him to keep watch there, able to track movement in the half moon's light. With that plan in action, Mohammed took up the rifle, keeping it in one hand just in case.

"Hm?" His attention turned briefly to Kalila as she'd spoken, before once again he was scanning the far desert sands. So many dunes could be seen, alight by the moon. "I can, yes. My spirit is the last remaining Djinn who grants wishes to his shaman."

It was an overly simplified explanation but it would do for now. There wasn't much need to go into the finer details of which Mohammed could sometimes only just grasp. Besides, she was quite enamored with the stars as it was and he'd rather not fully take her focus off of them for now.

"Perhaps it might seem strange, however, given what spirits are usually capable of," Mohammed carried on briefly.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:55 pm

Hearing that was a bit of a relief to hear. At least she saw him as someone to like and not someone to fear. Some wouldn't have been so friendly, most wanting to avoid him.

"No irony in that," he answered briefly.

Her response after was a simple one, asking for his opinion on what he had said. If he was honest he felt it was the truth. After all, she quickly grew comfortable here. Whatever had happened elsewhere, he could only imagine. As long as she was happy, he figured.

"I don't see why you wouldn't," he replied after a moment, "But then again, I don't know much of your home life back wherever you came from."

Was it bad? He often wondered that if she had run all the way to Mexico just to escape it. Then again, maybe it was something more. He couldn't say. When she wanted to tell him, she would.

---- [ x ] ----

Kalila caught Djinn dart off to keep an eye on things. That was quite the ability, to be able to have anything if he wished for it. Out here, that would be vital to stay alive.

She pushed the thought from her mind as she backed up a little before she sat down beside him. If she craned her neck like this for too long, it would strain and hurt the next day. The blanket, she draped around her shoulders as she did so.

"No, I think that's pretty amazing," she answered him, a bit of bump in her tone, "He must be very useful to you."

Kalila already knew that was the truth though, there was no reason to spill that truth. He might have thought her crazy if she did. Kalila would stick with her current story as while it wasn't entirely true, she still didn't remember much of what happened.

"It's so pretty. I can't believe that I've missed out on a sight like this for so many years," she spoke up again. To think on top of that, most people took it all for granted. They had no idea what they were missing.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 5:38 pm

Rekka couldn't tell if his reply was meant to be sarcastic or not though she didn't dwell on it. For the time being it didn't matter. Instead she shifted a little closer, hand still resting atop Peyote's stomach, content with someone at her side like this. It was comforting, actually.

His answer to her question didn't quite make sense, or maybe it was because she was still half-asleep. She muttered something incoherent before anything could really be made out. It didn't seem like something she noticed however.

"Too noisy, too neglectful, not enough food," she griped sleepily. "Too confining."

A frown marred her features as all the things she'd have liked to change before arriving here. Too much resistance and not enough time or money had made that nearly impossible. It was just easier to start fresh like this she supposed. Maybe this was a blessing and a curse, arriving in this world of shamans that should have been only fictional.

"Less confining, more freedom here," she grumbled further.

----[x]----

From the corner of his eye he saw Kalila seat herself next to him, draping her blanket around herself. At the very least she didn't seem to mind the cold nights here, preferred them over the days at least. Still, even this kind of cold could chill the bones if out in it long enough. Perhaps the company helped to keep her mind off of it all.

"That he is," Mohammed agreed. "He's saved us more times than I can count now."

Even if the others could not see him and credited their escapes and victories to luck or to Mohammed, he knew better. With Djinn they might all have been caught or worse several times over by now. It paid to be a shaman, able to use one's abilities so usefully.

He gestured to Kalila then, wondering briefly just how she might end up using her spirit in the future, if at all. It was worth bringing the topic up at least.

"Tell me, have you and Mato made any progress on your own abilities while I've been busy?"

He'd helped on occasion but they were rare over the week. There were too many things to see to and not enough time to aid in Kalila's prospective training. It was even harder doing so without drawing attention to it all. Having learned young, Mohammed hadn't quite had that problem himself here.

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 6:29 pm

She was quiet and for a time, Peyote had wondered if maybe she had drifted off once again. He didn't quite blame her if she had, there was plenty of time to sleep and she probably needed it.

Even so, she still answered, groggy as it was. From the sounds of it, things hadn't exactly gone well for her in terms of her way of life. He had heard rumors of struggling Amerian's but had never quite seen it until now.

A brief hum left him at that. The fact that she gained more freedom here seemed to please her. Why wouldn't it? Freedom is what most wanted in their lives.

"Here's to finding a place that you're comfortable with," he answered after a moment.

He would have drank to that. If things were looking up for Rekka, then that was great. From the sounds of it, that was something she desperately needed.

---- [ x ] ----

It didn't surprise her that Djinn had done so much for the rebels. With that ability, Mohammed had probably saved a lot of people with little effort. That was a blessing in disguise.

"You're very lucky to have him," she commented afterward.

Truth be told, she had an idea of why he had the spirit and how he had come to gain Djinn. Still, to think his parents might have died when he was young, it was heart breaking.

He changed the topic, however, asking about Mato. There wasn't much to tell. More or less, there was a lot of talking. Kalila was very much in need of a teacher and Mato could only provide so much.

"We talk a lot," she answered him after a moment, "He tells me of my culture, why it's important, what it means to be a shaman. Still, I think he's a tad apprehensive to go much further than that. I figure maybe it could be the strain that would be put on my body that keeps him from doing too much just yet."

Subject: Re: |SK| The Road Untraveled |1-on-1 RP| Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:38 pm

When Peyote spoke up he sounded happy enough that she was content here if not happy herself. He really did seem like he cared a lot despite his rough appearance. It was a strange thing to think about but not wholly unpleasant. Perhaps it only helped that they got along so well.

She inched closer still, abandoning the blanket she'd been cuddling to instead loop her arm around Peyote's, burying her face into his shoulder with a pleased sound. He was warm and though the Mexican nights weren't wholly cold as they'd been in Indiana it still felt nice to be next to another warm body like this. If Peyote minded he hadn't quite shooed her away yet, allowing her to remain in his bed like this.

"Yes," she murmured in agreement. A simple statement but an answer all the same.

A content sigh escaped her this time around. How strange it was that she was this comfortable in a bed with someone she knew for only a week. Perhaps it was merely because she was half-asleep, or maybe it was something else entirely. Rekka didn't bother to try to explain it to herself now.

----[x]----

Mohammed chuckled indulgently. Kalila certainly seemed fascinated by both the stars in the sky and by Djinn. No doubt she would be by the later, having only come to know her power as a shaman after all. Seeing and communicating with the spirits must have been quite a thing to behold for her.

"I would be lying if I were to disagree," he answered, nodding as he did. If he were not a shaman, if he did not have Djinn at his side... Mohammed couldn't begin to think how long ago he might've had died.

He listened raptly as she spoke of how she and Mato were getting on. It sounded as if the totem spirit was doing his job well, from what Mohammed could discern of things. Still, Kalila had a point. Practice and a proper shaman to teach her were essential overall...

He tapped a finger upon his thigh, thinking. There was already so much he had to do that he wasn't sure any of it could be pushed aside for teaching her... Perhaps in time but that knowledge would come in greater use if she learned now. Just trying to think it all out was causing Mohammed's head to ache a little in the cold night.

"I am glad to hear that you're learning something at least," Mohammed said finally. "Were it I had the time then I would gladly teach you however."

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