[FoH] The Misadventures of Kahili and Jerial

Jerial: If he was going to do it, he would have to do it quickly. The dancer stood overlooking the lake, feet perched just where the water touched the land. It had felt good to soak his soles. The muck and mire of the forests and plains were none too kind to the Gerudo. Checking his surroundings to make completely sure he was alone once more, he exhaled peacefully and began to unravel the bandages holding his hair in place. With the final wrapping undone, his fiery mane fell to his hips. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had the chance to really wash his hair. Solidarity had its perks, after all. Even if it did mean leaving behind someone in particular he wouldn't mind being alone with once more. Pushing that thought aside. Seating himself at the water's edge, he hummed an old Gerudo folk song and began to cleanse his luscious locks strand by strand.

Kahili: Kahili wandered about humming a little tune to herself to keep her company when in her trance she noticed another song. Automatically curious she focused her mind and using her bardic powers focused in on the thread of sound, it was faint but as she begun to follow it it became stronger until at least a lake came in view.

Jerial: Having firmly been left alone for a considerable length of time, Jerial got a tad more confident and decided to let loose. He let the song echoing inside his mouth be released. A quiet tune carried across the way. He wasn't honestly sure if he had any sense of pitch at all - the Gerudo weren't exactly virtuosos - but he couldn't care. After all, it was him and the fish. "Come gather round the fire tribesmen, let your woes be freed. We'll sing a song of victory, for triumph is our creed. Oh king of all the desert's children, our enemies besiege. For our hearts are heavy, we long to be merry, we beg you do not tarry - lead us out of misery." All the while he sang his song, blissfully unaware of his audience.

Kahili: She grinned hearing the song, such a nice earthy tune, she had sung something similar before to her friend Vanda when she was homesick. Her mind more focused on the sound her hands begun to sway in the air, twirling about the threads of sound emanating from the boy making it louder, and project further, using the sounds of nature around them to add to the tune. Soon enough as she begun to get lost in the song she twirled about loosing her footing on the edge of the spring and falling clumsily into the water with a loud splash

Jerial: Jerial nearly leapt out of his skin as he let out an usually high-pitched shriek. Water burned his eyes as it splashed in his face. Having thoroughly rubbed the boiling liquid from his eyes, he tried to make out what had just happened. There, in front of him, lay a little Rito girl that had faceplanted directly into the spring.Was...was she spying on me!? The thought made him instinctively pull his poncho tighter to his form. For once, the Gerudo had been left utterly speechless. Only one thought crossed his mind. Oh Goddess. My hair. This little girl will be the first one to ever see me with my hair down.

Kahili: Flailing about the girl did not like having swallowed a mouthful of the salty hot water she stood up clumsily clawing for the ledges she's thrown herself stupidly off of, coughing as she tried to rid her lungs of the water.
As she regained her breath she gasped then spun around to see the boy in the water " A-Ah!! I-I'm sorry! I-I didnt mean to spy!! I- I mean I wasn't Spying at all I just walked by and I tripped!"

Jerial: Jerial's face burned a bright red, and it most certainly wasn't from the water temperature. However, the girl certainly seemed sincere, if not a little clumsy. If he had been able to compose himself, he would have made a joke about her wanting to see him undress, but he could barely remember how to speak at all. "I...I...I don't honestly know what to say." He stared at the girl for a moment before shaking his head and trying to get his act together. "I mean, I'm sorry. I, uh, just...this was unexpected. Are you okay? That was quite a fall."

Kahili: The rito shivered now that the cold winter air had struck her. She shivered almost freezing in place "I-I...I-I'm ok-k-kay" Her teeth chattering as she spoke, hugging her arms to pull the soaked cloak around her shoulders at a small attempt at warmth

Jerial: Whatever awkward tension had hung in the air moments before had completely dissipated. Poor thing, Jerial thought, nearly letting a chuckle slip out, she seems like the accident prone type. Thinking quickly, he tossed her the cloth that he had set by the side of the spring. "Here, take this. It's not much, but at least you can dry off. I was about to use it to dry my hair, but I think you might need it more than I do."

Kahili: Arms fumbling about she haphazardly caught the cloth and draped it over her shoulders "W-Why th-th-th-thank you " She shivered " I-Im sorry to i-i-i-inconvenience you... I-It seems I've gotten myself a bit lost" She giggled nervously

Jerial: "My dear, if I had a Rupee for every time I've gotten lost since coming to Hyrule, I would be a rich man." Without a towel to use, Jerial decided to begin wringing out his mess of hair with his bare hands. "Luckily for you, this is one instance in which I actually know my way around. Tell me your name and maybe I can help you find where you were going."

Kahili: The birdy shivered " O-Oh! Y-Yes of course!!" She scrambled to her feet before bowing over " I-I am Kahili of the Tali Mountain Rito tribe! Its a pleasure to meet you!!" As she strood up she pulled the cloak tighter around her "U-Um... i-its awfully cold.. and you have q-quite long hair... i-if you like, I could b-b-braid it for you...S-Since I have your t-t-t-towel" She giggled again

Jerial: This girl was a trip. Despite the circumstances, he found himself to be quite enjoying the company. "Kahili, hm? You can call me Jerial. It's a pleasure to meet you." He flashed her his dazzling smile, though it was short-lived. Her suggestion presented quite an interesting predicament. For anyone to touch his hair when it was let loose was a very intimate act for him. Or at least, I wanted it to be. However, he really had no choice in the matter. Without any way to properly dry his hair, it would take hours for him to braid it on his own. Besides, she had already seen his mane anyways. He would just block this out when the time came for him to choose to let someone see him in such a state. "Under normal circumstances, I would have respectfully declined. However, without that towel of mine, this mane would be a mess. If you wouldn't mind, a little help couldn't hurt."

Kahili: She nodded with a smile brightening up that she could be of help to someone "O-Of course!" She scooted closer to the spring "Y-You wouldn't want all your pretty hair to have you catch a c-c-cold..." She smiled. It'd been a long time since she;d braided anyones hair but her own. Her handmaiden used to have long hair too and would let her braid it all the time.

Jerial: He was beginning to wonder whether the girl's stuttering was due to the cold or embarrassment, though he didn't mind it. He was just hoping he wasn't making her that uncomfortable. "I'm more afraid that you'll be the one to catch a cold at this rate. I'm not sure that towel of mine is much help to you."

It was a strange sensation, allowing another to touch his hair. He had never truly let anyone else ever feel it, let alone braid it. And yet, it calmed him greatly. Maybe it was just the fumes from the spring getting to him. "You know, you really don't have to do this if you don't want to. I mean, I appreciate it, but I don't want to keep you from...well, whatever it was that you were doing."

Kahili: She hummed to herself happily while she braided the soft hair.
"W-Well M-Maybe if you kn-know a t-t-town nearby we can head there once your hair is all done!" She smiled with a shiver " A-And I don't mind, Your hair is quite lovley!" Finishing the braid she leaned back and admired her work with a grin " Th-there are not many men I've seen with such long hair"

Jerial: The girl having finished, the boy took the braid in his hand and ran his fingers over every part. She did better than he could have expected. Perhaps she had practice. He nearly blushed at all the compliments. "Ah, well thank you. You're the first to ever see my hair down, so I'm glad to hear you say that." The dancer rose from the spring to begin drying off. "Well, little Rito, would you like to head to town? There should be one not too far off, if I'm not mistaken. We need to get you warmed up, after all."

Kahili: The rito blushed a bit "O-Oh my...the first?" She smiled " Well I am truly honored then!" She bowed her head before standing up with another shiver, pulling the towel around her tighter. it was only now she realized that her dress had become stiff and almost frozen in her kneeling position exposing most of her birdy legs to the cold " K-Kyaaah!!" She pushed the dress down as best she could to try and shield her feathers from the wind

Jerial: Jerial was so startled by her screech that he immediately leapt into a battle stance, thinking there must be something that scared her so. A rabid animal? Bloodthirsty monster? Upon closer examination, however, he found that she was scared not of being attacked, but of being exposed by her nearly frozen dress. Relieved and amused, the Gerudo snickered to himself. "You sure are the jumpy type. I suppose it's endearing though." He held out his arm for her to latch onto, if she so desired. "Here. It might be hard for you to walk like that, so you can take my arm if you wish and I'll show you the way."

Kahili: The girl wimpered a bit but smiled at his kindness "Th-th-thank you..." Looping an arm sound his she hunched a bit trying to use her free hand to keep her dress down and hopefully straighten it without having it crack "S-S-Sorry if I sc-sc-scared you" She shivered. the cold eating away at her talons. She wasted no time following along, for she felt if they were out there much longer she, herself, might follow the state of her dress.

Jerial: Seeing how cold she was, he decided to hurry them along just a little, even if it was difficult for her to walk. He'd feel horrible if she caught a cold because of him. "No apologies needed," he replied, brushing aside her worry, "though I do have to admit, I'm surprised to find you wandering out here all alone. No knight in shining armor to stand by his princess?" He winked at her, more of a playful taunt than a flirtatious tease.

Kahili: At the mention of the word she gulped eyes widening "H-How-how..." She wanted to ask him how he possibly knew... yet the second half of the statement suck with her. Expression dropping to a more somber one when she was reminded of who she had once thought to be her knight in shining armour... but now wasn't so sure. She trembled then put on a bit of a sad smile " I-I wish not to cause trouble for my friends.... so I try to stay away to avoid making things worse..."

Jerial: He watched the girl's expression carefully as it fell. He thought her face would turn a brighter shade of red than it already was, but this was not the reaction he expected. Guess I struck a nerve. He really had to get better at this whole teasing thing. "Trouble, huh? You certainly don't seem like the type to stir up trouble. You might be a bit clumsy, but you're anything but trouble, or so it seems." He looked at the girl before him with all of the compassion he could possibly muster. He simply couldn't handle seeing girls cry, and he was not about to let her do so. "And besides, I bet those friends of yours would be devastated if they saw you so distressed. It'd break their hearts to think that they were the cause of your pain. I bet they miss you far more than you could imagine." His gaze, for an instant, grew distant.

Kahili: Kahili gulped a bit her arm pulling herself tighter around the boys instinctively as she felt a chill, perhaps not from the weather. " I-I suppose so... but I guess I always end up in trouble because I'm so ...weak..." She paused before and after the final word... she had tried to think of another way to describe herself but the truth is that word fit the bill, no pun intended. A Sheltered rito princess who couldn't fly and couldn't use a weapon... what good was she in a war-torn land like Hyrule... She'd had her chance to go home, but denied it, now she felt trapped and had no idea where to go from here. She Looked up to the boy about to say something when she'd noticed him staring far off. Perhaps he felt the same way?

Jerial: As she spoke, his mind drifted back to the conversation at hand. No time to think of that now. The poor girl's words nearly broke his heart. He rested his hand on her arm ever so softly as he attempted to verbalize a thought he could not quite articulate. "I think that...you are strong...but not in the way that people normally relate with strength. This land is dying, you're traveling alone, and your so-called prince is nowhere to be found. And yet, you aren't jaded like the rest of us. Too many people have become hardened by this mess of a war. I...I believe that honesty and kindness are strengths that are more valuable than the force of a blow or the speed of a swordsman. Far too many choose power over principles - but they're wrong." He let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry if that didn't make much sense. Unlike you, honesty isn't exactly my thing so the moments where I truly speak aren't exactly the easiest to explain."

Kahili: Giving him a smile his words were so kind. She'd needed that. "Th-thank you Mister Jerial...." She shivered a bit " You are very kind-hearted..." She looked to the path infront of them " And I understand what you mean...It may be a little hard for me to believe.... but I think I can understand how sometimes it may be hard to be so kind in a place where your friend could turn out to be..." Again she paused her eyes lowering to the ground " W-Well... not exactly on your side" She dared not to use the word traitor... " This land is filled with so much sadness... It can be hard not to let it take over you..." She turned back to the boy " But for those who can still show kindness in such times... Perhaps that is where strength lies" She gave a light chuckle.

The cold was starting to get to her now. her legs had gone numb by this point causing her to stumble every now and then, her cheeks burned from frostbite and her long hair had frosted at the tips

Jerial: His cheeks burned a bit from embarrassment. Kind-hearted, huh? That was a new one. Just as she had understood his words, he too understood hers. "There seems to be a thin line between 'friend' and 'enemy' nowadays, sad as it is to say it." He patted her arm slightly, only to recognize how frigid it had become. Turning to her, he now noticed how much of an effect the cold had on her. "Kahili!" Quickly, he looked to see how far away the town entrance was. "We're not far from town now, I promise." He wasn't sure the girl was going to make it. Think fast, think fast. Acting on the first thought that came to mind, he knelt down in front of her. "Here, climb on my back. I might not be too strong, but you're in no shape to keep moving. I'll get us there with time to spare." He spoke much more confidently than he felt. He prayed to the Goddess that he was right.

Kahili: She had stopped feeling the cold now... now she'd just begun to feel very sleepy. " I-I'm sorry... I'm moving so sl-slow..." When He knelt in front of her she moved to protest but felt far to tired to put up a fight. As she was instructed she leaned against his back wrapping her arms accross his shoulders " I'm s-sorry if I am heavy M-Mr. Jerial...." She whimpered a bit feeling the heat from his body against her it was making her away of just how numb she was becoming. Leaning her had against his back she let out a breathy sigh her eyes becoming half lidded.

Jerial: He was two seconds away from panicking. There was a girl on his back who was quite literally freezing to death. No time to think, time to act. Adrenaline kicking in, the boy channeled all of his energy into his feet and sprinted into town. The coarse stones of the city street dug into his feet, dying to drag him down, but he couldn't feel a thing. His mind was focused only on one thing - getting her to safety. Rushing into the nearby inn, he set her down on the couch by the fireplace. Frantically he called out for a medic before turning back to the Rito. "It's gonna be alright, Kahili. We got to the inn just fine. How are you feeling?" He brushed his hand across her head only to feel skin so cold it nearly burnt. He couldn't hide the worry from his face any longer.

Kahili: Her breathing had become raspy by now here eyes were almost fully closed as she just wanted to sleep but kept hearing someone talking to her. Where had she been again? She was so sleepy but she forced her eyes to open as she saw the face of the gerudo boy she gave a smile "I-Im so sleepy..." She felt his hand on her skin and it felt like her face would crack, the pain causing her to flinch a bit "M-Mister Jerial...th-thank you... th-this couch is very comfy..." She smiled almost deliriously. she was saying anything at this point to try and keep herself awake.

Jerial: Jerial breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her awake and speaking, even if what she spoke was a bit strange. "I'm glad to see you're alright...and that you like the couch." Just as he began to chuckle, a teeny Korok child came waddling on up to them. "If you two needed a medic, I'm your man! I can have her healed in a jiffy!" Jerial nodded, thanking him as the sapling began to look her over. After his examination was complete, he rubbed some herbal balm over the places of skin which had yet to change back to their normal hue and chanted a few "magic words", as he claimed. The Gerudo thanked him once more before returning to Kahili. "He says you'll be just fine. You must be exhausted, though. Why don't you relax for a bit, I'll see you about getting you a room?"

Kahili: "T-thank you Mister Jerial..." She giggled as the Korok child waddled away admiring the cute little jingling noises. Once he'd gone out of sight she looked tiredly back up to the boy " W-What about you?" Her brow furrowed into concern "A-are you going to get a room here as well?" She spoke weakly but could already feel the healing affects from the medic start to take effect. "I-I have some rupees L-let me cover for you! Its the least I could do!" She smiled trying to move to sit up

Jerial: The panic fled as soon as he saw her smile again. The color had already begun to rush back to its rightful place in her face. Jerial knelt down so as to speak to her on her level. "Don't push yourself right now, Kahili - your body needs to relax." The last thing they needed was for her to strain her body just to talk to him. "Don't you worry about me, I'll stay here for the night. I have to make sure you'll be okay, don't I? But leave the night's stay to me - I think I can work something out." An impish grin overtook his face as he eyed the boy working. Holding up a single finger to her to let her know he'd be back in just a moment, he sauntered off to the inn's front desk.

As he approached, he examined his newfound target. He was young - an adult, but no older than Jerial himself and thus, hormonal - clearly new to the job, and, if the way he was fumbling over his words to the current client was any hint, he needed a pick-me-up. Perfect. As soon as the last customer had left the desk and the boy had heaved a heavy sigh, Jerial made his move. "My, my, what a weighted sigh for such a pretty face. Long day, handsome?" The receptionist's face shifted between every shade of red imaginable in that moment. Well somebody's lacking in experience. Tsk tsk tsk.

"Um, well...yeah. Today's been pretty crazy around here. How can I hel- wait. You're the boy who carried the little Rito girl in here, aren't you?" The boy had turned to face Kahili, but Jerial would be sure to refocus his gaze. "So you noticed?" He winked at the boy, which did not go unnoticed. "Why yes, the poor thing was frozen half-to-death and I couldn't just leave her. Now neither of us know where to go for the night, though." Before Jerial could even sigh, the receptionist had already shoved a pair of keys in his face. "P-please take these! It's on me. I'd feel terrible if you'd have to leave - I mean, if you both had nowhere to go." Jerial could've laughed at that clumsy recovery. "How chivalrous. Maybe I can repay you one day." With another wink that left the boy wondering what in the world that meant, Jerial returned to Kahili and tossed her a key with a triumphant grin. "We're all set."

Kahili: Kahili Grinned " Ah! How kind of him to let us stay!" She smiled, totally oblivious to the flirting aspect, of the interaction. " This is wonderful!" She clapped her hands in excitement. "P-perhaps this leaves me with enough rupees to purchase a meal..." with the talk of food her stomach decided to audibly agree letting out as tiny growl. "Oh! Oh my.." She blushed embarrassed, A warm meal certainly did sound good. " Oh Mr. Jerial you've been so kind to me... how could I ever thank you enough..." After all the poor girl had been through she hadn't had a friend she could trust for the longest time, meeting someone so kind that wasn't after her as certainly a refreshing change of pace.

Jerial: Ahh, youth. How beautiful is your ignorance. The Rito's oblivious nature did save him quite the awkward conversation, however, and so he thanked whatever Goddess was listening for that small blessing. "You don't need to repay me at all, little Kahili. If you feel like you need to, however, keep me company for a meal. Traveling alone can be quite lonely." He held out a hand to her so that she could stand without using any extraneous strength.

Kahili: "Lonley.." Yes that is exactly it. She'd been on her own for so long, only occasionally bumping into a friend here or there, but mainly in her travels she'd remained alone, for her own saftey and those of her friends... " N-Nothing would please me more than to join you Mr. Jerial" She smiled warmly reaching her hand to take his.

Jerial: Jerial smiled as she took his hand. He pulled her to her feet, being sure to support her back with his hand as she rose. He led her to a nearby dining table and signaled for a waitress to come when she could. He helped her into a seat before taking his own across from her. "So, now that you're not slowly turning into a icicle, tell me about yourself, Kahili. I'll listen to anything you'd like to say - opinions, war stories, dreams, brokenhearted venting, pick your poison."

Kahili: She smiled at how kind and gentlemanly he was being. It'd been a while since she'd been spoken to as such. She rested her palms gently on the tables surface "W-Well th-theres not too much to say, I'm afraid" She giggled "I-I'm not very interesting... But I-I suppose I could start off by asking, Do you happen to know where I can find the The Tali Mountains?" She leaned forward a bit seeming very non-nonchalant about the question

Jerial: Jerial's brow furrowed at the question. He had yet to come across any mountains on his journey. Hills, for sure, but never any mountains. Cringing, he imagined the pure agony it would be to scale a mountain in his barefeet. I think I'll pass. He shot her an apologetic look. "Can't say I have, I'm afraid. Why do you ask?"

Kahili: Lettign out a sigh as if expecting the awnser but still dissapointed she smiled to him " W-Well... that is where my home is..." She looked down to her hands " I was taken from there a long time ago... seems like almost a year now... I woke up in Hyrule and since then no one here seems to have even heard of my home..." she drummer her fingers lightly on the table "S-So I've been doing my best to survive here... hoping that in anyway I can help put and end to the war in this land... and perhaps by doing so, also help end the threat to my home as well...." She nodded as if reassuring herself that was indeed her true goal.

Jerial: His eyes widened a bit upon hearing her response. Well, his guess that it was her eventual destination was correct, but he didn't expect it to be her homeland. "Taken?" He muttered under his breath. Her word choice was a bit strange to him. Who would take as innocent a girl as her and merely dump her here to die? Beyond that detail, something stuck out to him - she was helping to end this war. He wondered... "Kahili, may I ask you something? I've heard about a group of people fighting against Ganondorf. If memory serves, they're called the Resistance. Are you one of them?"

Kahili: The little Rito's face paled a bit at the mention of the resistance... HEr hear panicked a bit but he seemed like he was more curious about the resistance rather than interrogating her alliance. "U-Um...W-well I-I'm not rally sure..." Her hands came together on the table to fidget with eachother. "Y-You s-see...W-When I first came to hyrule... I met someone... He brought me to the resistance in the beginning and we made lots of friends.... b-but then...w-well..." Her face grew solemn as she recalled the painful memory. "H-he.... He was found out to be against the resistance .... Since that day I felt like thye had suspicions about me... So I began to travel on my own.... but then... One day... a member of the resistance a-attacked me...a-and... then he told me they were after me...and..." She begin to get visably more shaky as she continued the story her hands tightening to clasp themselves.

Jerial: The little Rito looked as though she were about to faint if she continued her story any further. Jerial chewed his lip - a nervous habit he had yet to shake. Way to go. Make the girl with frostbite so upset that she nearly passes out. Jerial held up a hand to stop her. "Kahili - you don't need to say any more, okay? Sorry to bring all of that up. I...would never have imagined. I can't even fathom someone attacking you of all people. " Jerial sighed and rubbed his temple to fight off his momentary agitation. "This world is a mess in every possible way, it seems." Once his frustration had subsided, he refocused his attention on his friend before him. "Kahili, I want you to be honest. Are you still in danger? Because I'm not about to leave you all alone to fend for yourself. I may not be the best bodyguard, but I feel like I have to do something, at least. The whole thing just makes my blood boil."

Kahili: As he stopped her she gasped as if walking herself from a trance. Blinking a few times she smiled once again at his kind words. " I-I don't know anymore... That's why I have been traveling alone... I don't know if what Mr. Rheyker said was true... o-or if the resistance really IS out to get me... I-I thought if there was one person I could trust it would have been...bu-but then..." She stopped herself shaking her head. Looking to the boy with a saddened expression " I- I wouldn't want to burden you...I-If I am in danger... you have just been so kind to me... I would hate for you to get wrapped up in all of this..." loosening her hands from eachother she looked to them again. "I-Im not very good at defending myself... all I can do is sing... but my songs only barely help me get by...."

Jerial: Rheyker... He'd have to remember that name for later. The leader of the Resistance, maybe? If they were ever to meet on the battlefield, Jerial sure hoped that they would be on the same side. Even so, "I have no particular affinity for the Resistance, nor do I have any reason to trust them. If anything, I have reason notto trust them, after what you and Ju-" he cleared his throat, "just some other friends of mine have told me. I can't quite say that I oppose them - their goals are at least relatively similar to mine - but I also know that no organization that wants justice would target an innocent girl." He collected his thoughts for a moment, recalling something she had previously said to him. In a moment of compassion - Goddess, he had gotten soft - he reached across and grabbed her hand. A stern yet gentle look burned in his eyes. "Asking for help is not weakness, Kahili."

Kahili: "They're not all bad..." She wimpered a bit " W-When I was with them... I made lots of friends... and most of them are still very kind to me..." She forced a weak smile "B-but... I'm s-still afraid... I've seen what they are capable of... I know they have strong fighters... and they can accomplish anything they set thier mind to..." Her mind wandered back to the rito hybrid " I-I know this may sound farfetched b-but... the man... the one who brought me to the resistance... h-he came from the future... he says the resistance must be stopped in order for things to be right again....A-and... I trust him... I think that's why I'm in trouble..." Her mind ran back to his last statement and she chuckled a bit, thoughts flicking back to her last conversation with the hybrid. " I am not afraid of showing weakness... I-I know I'm not strong... I just... dont want to put you into any danger...."

Jerial: As she finished speaking, the Gerudo leaned back in his chair. The future? What in the world was going on in Hyrule? While he normally wouldn't be one to believe it, he supposed that the possibilities when it came to magic were nearly infinite. Who's to say that time magic could not be developed one day? Still, the very thought boggled his mind. "That is...quite a story. But I'm choosing to believe you. After all, there are plenty of things I can't make sense of in Hyrule - I'll choose to not think too hard on a time-traveling man." He could barely keep track of all of the questions swarming around his head like a hive of angry bees. Where to start, where to start... "Don't you worry about me, little one. For whatever reason, the Goddesses seem intent on keeping me alive." He began to recall the various near-death experiences he had found himself in, only to cling to the last shred of life within him. "So you trust this man...and you still want a peaceful future despite the Resistance having openly opposed you...what exactly do you plan to do to create the future you want, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kahili: SHe wimpered a bit " I know it might seem a bit outlandish for someone to travel through time like the Legendary Hero did... but Phoenix Says that he managed to do it.... and I believe him..." AT his question her brows furrowed eyes widening. " I-I ..." She gulped " I want to help stop Ganon... i-in anyway that I can... B-But I dont want to hurt my friends in the resistance....I...I feel like I'm trapped between two sides and I dont know what to do... what can someone like me do?" she looked down at her hands sadly.

Jerial: Jerial ran his hand through his hair as he tried to process it all. "It's not an easy question by any means." He didn't exactly know what to tell her. Functioning as a third party in any battle meant having the odds stacked against you in every way. "But maybe there are ways to help beyond what's obvious. Remember how I told you that everyone looks for strength by the obvious meaning of it? Perhaps there's another solution here..." He closed his eyes and leaned forward, hands folded in front of his face. He attempted to focus all of his energy into problem solving, but no simple solution presented itself. He decided it might be best to talk out his thoughts rather than sort them through on his own. "Ganon won't just be stopped by force alone. Even if the Resistance succeeds, there'll be people who are suffering, people who won't want a new ruler, people who will have lost hope. Ganon's death doesn't mean the health of this land. We might cut the stem off, but the root still runs deeper. Evil will always exist. Maybe staying neutral wouldn't be bad - don't openly support or oppose the Resistance, while still doing what will bring both of your ultimate goals, the restoration of Hyrule, closer to fruition." Feeling that the mood had darkened a bit too much, he gave her a playful, knowing wink. "Or you could run off back to the future with your boyfriend. Your choice."

Kahili: "B-b-boyfriend?" She gulped. She didn't know the meaning of those words exactly but judging by his wink she got a vague idea " O-oh! N-n-n-no Ph-Phoenix I-Is M-my friend! " Her face turned a bright rosy shade "He-he was just very kind to me!" She laughed nervously waving her hands as she shook her head as if dismissing the idea. Her nervous laughter subsided "B-Besides... Phoenix said that only the Hero could travel back and forth...So Phoenix is trapped here...." She looked away solemnly. " B-But... I-I never asked you... Wh-What do you plan to do in Hyrule Mr. Jerial....?"

Jerial: He couldn't help but laugh, quite loudly too, at her reaction. "Uh huh, suuuure he's your friend. Those blushing cheeks say otherwise, my dear." As his laughing fit died down, he turned his attention back to the discussion at hand. "Ah right, why I'm here. I'm not sure how well acquainted you are with Hyrule here, but male Gerudos aren't exactly a dime a dozen." As he spoke, he signaled a nearby waitress to get them drinks. He had nearly forgotten that they sat down to eat. "I guess you could say that I'm searching for answers. The Goddess had to have some reason for my birth, right? And Ganondorf may be the only way to discovering the truth, mad king or not."

Kahili: She tilted her head "Ah- Y-yes I believe Miss Vanda mentioned something along those lines...." She nodded her head tapping her chin " S-So you're searching for why You and the King are the only Male Gerudo's?" She leaned in looking intrigued

Jerial: Jerial nodded. "That's right. They say only one male is supposed to be born every millennium, and that Gerudo is to be made king. As you can see, however, we already have one king, and Hyrule certainly does not want another. Most Gerudo treat me like a heathen, a mistake, and the Hylians fear me. I am certainly no king." He toyed with his hair as the memories began to resurface. He had been successful at keeping others at bay for quite a while now, and those memories brought with them bitterness. "Ganondorf and I are-" His thought was cut off by the sudden recognition of the name mentioned by the Rito. "-did you say Vanda? You're friends with Vanda?"

Kahili: " W-Why yes!" She perked up a bit " M-Miss Vanda is one of my closest friends! I met her in the resistance!" She smiled brightly " D-Do you know her? Have you seen her recently!? How has she been? Is Lump still running into things?" She hopped a bit in her seat in excitement

Jerial: It was good to see the little Rito so full of life, and so suddenly no less. He wondered if she was normally like this, when she wasn't suffering from frostbite and discussing her deepest personal troubles. He realized with a tinge of guilt that he was the reason she was doing all that. Oops. "Of course I know, Vanda. She's the only Gerudo I've met since I've been here. Well, the only one that has realized that I'm one of their kinsmen - I normally hide from the rest. We parted ways only a short while ago, actually. She's a wonderful woman." The recollection of their rather rigorous ride on Lump brought back some painful memories. "Lump, on the other hand, is quite an interesting one. He didn't run into anything this time, thank the Goddess. I was scared for my life riding on that thing."

Kahili: She giggled " Oh I'm glad you think so!" She smiled with a bit of a nervous laugh " Well Lump still needs a bit of training... but he really is sweet" She wiggled her feet under the table. " I...I really miss the two of them..."

A waitress had finally appeared bowing her head "Sorry about the wait ladies, We're quite busy tonight due to the weather! What can I do for you?"

Jerial: Jerial could do nothing else but facepalm. Every. Single. Time. He parted a pair of fingers just enough for Kahili to see the mixture of exasperation and amusement in his eyes. Without even looking up, he answered, "I'll have a glass of wine and whatever other 'lady' is supposedly sitting here." The words had come out a little more bluntly than he had intended, but he broke into a laugh of pure disbelief afterwards. "Order whatever you'd like, Kahili. I think I need something strong after everything that's happened today."

Kahili: "U-Um..." She panicked wanting to say something in his defence but not wanting to be rude and point out the waitresses mistake. " U-um...I-I will have a fruit juice p-please..." She gulped shrinking back in her seat.

The oblivious waitress tilted her head raising a brow " A-Alright the ma'am, One wine and fruit juice comming up!" She happily sauntered away.

"I-I'm sorry Mister Jerial..." She smiled at him apologetically " I-I should've said something...."

Jerial: The Gerudo groaned. He honestly was in a state of complete disbelief. "No, no, you're fine. She'll figure it out eventually...I hope. You'd be surprised how many times that's happened, actually." He relaxed a bit, finally loosening up as that sort of nostalgic happiness that comes with a cherished memory hit him. "Believe it or not, the first time I ever ate with anyone at an inn, I actually went along with it. I was with another boy and I pretended that he was my boyfriend. She figured it out reeeaal quick." Jerial let out an almost girlish giggle, the faintest tinge of red rising to his cheeks. His eyes grew wistful. "Jung was so mad at me. Still, it ended up being a really fun night...ended up with my first real friend, too, even if I'm not sure he'd consider me one."

Kahili: Kahili smiled " Hehe I'm sure if you were as kind to him as you hav been to me there would be no way he could consider you anything else" She giggled " S-So where is your friend now?" She admired the look he had in his eyes, relating very much to the way it seemed to make him feel. "

Jerial: Jerial's expression mellowed a bit. Just where was Jung, exactly? In honesty, there was a part of him searching for Jung just as much as there was a part of him searching for answers. Yet, no matter where he had gone, he had found no trace of the Keaton anywhere. He had hoped to catch him before he left the inn the next morning, but he was gone by the time Jerial had awakened. "I wish I knew, Kahili. Honestly? I've been looking for him, but no matter where I've gone, I can't find him." He wasn't exactly sure how to articulate why he was looking - heck, he wasn't always crystal clear on why he wanted to find him so badly himself - but he figured she might be able to help him sort it all out. "When I met him, he seemed to be...broken, I want to say. There was something about his eyes that wouldn't leave me alone. I've never been able to shake the feeling that I want to help him, somehow. I don't even know why or how I can, but I want to..." He breathed out a heavy sigh, having let it out. "Sorry, ranting."

Kahili: The rito looked to him with a sad smile " No need to apologize... You want to help him... thats quite kind of you... You have a very helpful heart Mister Jerial! If there were more people like you Maybe Hyrule could be a happier place!" She giggled " I'm sure you will find him! " She was clearly in a brighter mood now, doing her best to encourage her new friend. " I-if you like I can try and help! I-I dont know what i can offer but if I run into any for my friends I can ask if they have seen him...er...w-what was his name again?"

Jerial: The compliment embarrassed him a great deal, causing him to scratch the back of his neck and let out a nervous laugh. "Well, I don't know about that..." Her offer, however, piqued his interest. It really was getting him nowhere to try and hunt him down on his own. "I'd appreciate that, Kahili. I don't think I'll get anywhere on my own. I'll take all the help I can get." He thought for a moment exactly how to describe Jung to her. "Hmm, let's see, his name's Jung. Black clothes, red eyes, fluffy tail - you can't miss him." With a laugh, he added one final comment, "He's the kinda guy that screams 'I'm a serious, mysterious loner'".

Kahili: Nodding her head she looked pensive making sure she remembered all the details " Hmm... Jung.... " The name sounded familiar but she just couldn't place it. " I-Is he a memeber of the resistance?" She tilted her head looking to the gerudo boy.

The waitress had made her way back. " Here you are Ladies~ Anything I can get you girls to eat tonight?" She smiled her clueless little smiled looking to the two of them.

Jerial: Jerial shot the waitress a disgusted look. Come on lady, I'm not that effeminate looking! ...Right? "If you have any soup, I'll take that. As far as what type, you can surprise me." He barely paid the woman any attention as he returned to the subject at hand with the one person in the room who could actually correctly identify his gender. "He's certainly not a member of the Resistance. He nearly spat on me when I asked. If anything, I'd say he was working against them. Guess that makes you two allies, in a sense." He took a long sip of his wine. "But if you've been in the Resistance a while, I'm surprised you don't know him. There definitely seemed to be some pretty bad blood between he and the group."

Kahili: The Waitress tilted her head " Uh huh Okay so sould of the day and for you little miss?"

Kahili looked between the two biting her lip trying not to giggle at the exasperated Jerial " U-Um... I-I would like some noodle soup i-if you have any...W-With bean sprouts please!"

" Comming right up!" She sauntered away happily. Kahili looked back to the gerudo with a thoughtful look. " S-So d-does that mean he is working for ganon?" She furrowed her brow looking to him worriedly " I-I haven't heard anything about anyone like that working against the resistance... i-it must have been after I started traveling alone from the resistance..." She drummed her fingers on the table

Jerial: After she ordered her food, Jerial made an agreeable sound and added, "You've got good taste, little miss." As he continued to listen, however, he realized he may have been painting the wrong picture of his companion. "No, he's not with Ganondorf either. He was even more offended when I asked him that." The Gerudo scoffed, accompanied by an eye roll. "Who knows, he's complicated. What can you do?" The boy shrugged.

Kahili: The rito perked up"Thanks!" She replied to his compliment about her taste As she listened she looked pensive "S-So he's not with Ganon...but hes not with the resistance..w-wait... DO you think..." She brightened like a light bulb ad gone off in her head " M-Maybe your friend and Phoenix are on the same side! M-maybe they are allies!" She beamed " I-If that is the case than I would be more than happy to help you find him!"

Jerial: His eyes widened as the statement struck him. "Huh. You know I hadn't even considered that..." Jung hadn't seemed like the type to team up - more like the type to manipulate or employ - but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. "Even if it turns out that they're not working together, having your help would mean a lot - even if you're only doing it to reunite with your not-boyfriend." He teased her, winking and snickering all the while.

Kahili: Kahili sat up looking almost offended " O-of course not! I would help you find your friend because it is important to you and you have been ever so kind to me!" She placed a hand on her heart " I would never only search for him to find Phoenix..a-acctually..." She shirked away a bit " I-...I doubt Phoenix ever wants to see me again...." He mind wandered back to the last time they spoke when he had tried to send her to dragon roost to get her out of Hyrule. "B-But if Perhaps your firend knows of a way to stop Ganon then I would like to help him!"

Jerial: He felt a tinge of regret that his joke had backfired. "Ah, sorry, I only meant to tease you." Her words continued to break his heart. If he ever saw this Phoenix, well...wait. "Well then it only makes sense for me to look for your friend too, right? After all, we all have the same goal. It will take a lot of us to stop Ganondorf. However, I may have a few choice words for him, should I ever find him." His smirked returned to its rightful place on his face.

Kahili: Shaking her head sadly she put on a small smile though it was obviously forced on to hide her sadness " He doesn't want my help... he doesn't want anyone's help... he keeps telling me his mission is one that he has to do alone...." She repeated the words almost as if they'd been drilled into her mind " He has to stop the resistance.... and thus... he will stop ganon... even if.... i-if... it...." She struggled with the words, her eyes becoming glassy as tears threatened to spill her hands bundling together in her lap as her head lowered.

Jerial: The Gerudo didn't know how to comfort her. He always hated seeing girls cry, but far be it from him to actually know how to make them stop. "Then we'll help him complete his mission, whether he wants us to or not. We won't get in his way, and we'd never lay a finger on him. But no matter what he says, we still have the same goal - we want Hyrule restored." He watched as the tears gathered in their ducts. "Don't worry, Kahili. He'll be safe - I'll make sure of it."

Kahili: She looked and smiled to him at his comforting words "Th-Thank you Mr. Jerial..." As if on cure the waitress brought over the two bowels of soup to them and bowed her head " Enjoy!" Looking to the food the rito giggled a bit "Y-you know... When I first came to hyrule... this is the same thing Phoenix and I ate on the day we met." She picked up a spoon and began swirlign the srpouts about.

Jerial: Jerial took a long sip of his wine before even touching his food. "Ah, I see. I hope that's a happy memory, then. But if not, perhaps we can redeem that tonight." He raised his wine glass high. "A toast - to our newfound friendship." A wide smile spread across his face.

Kahili: Kahili Smiled raising her little wooden cup of fruit juice " To our friendship!" She smiled then took a sip. " May it bring us both closer to happiness in our future!" After the toast the rito began daintily slurping her soup doing her best to bring about her manners as a noble infront of her new friend. Content that she was now in a warm inn eating good food with good company she hadn't felt this happy all winter.

Jerial: Jerial took a sip of his wine after the toast. He hadn't drank in quite a while, and the small amount he had now was quite refreshing. He was careful to watch himself in front of Kahili, however. He certainly didn't want to get tipsy. Goddess, that would be embarrassing. Shaking the mental image away, he now noticed how perfectly content the little Rito was as she ate. He tried a bit of his soup, content that she was content. The fact that the waitress had done a good job of surprising him with the soup, despite not realizing that he was in fact a man, helped.

Kahili: After finishing her meal she sat back letting out a happy sigh, her cheeks flushed red now tat her little belly was full "That was amazing~" She hummed happily looking to the Gerudo "Thank you very much once again! How ever will I repay you for your kindness?" She smiled placing the spoon gently across the bowl

Jerial: Jerial finished his meal alongside of the little Rito. He was thankful that she was so blissful for the moment. "So long as you keep our promise, you don't need to pay me a single rupee. Good company is payment enough for me." Now that the meal had finally begun to enter his system, he could feel his body growing weak. He had nearly forgotten that he hadn't been able to actually use the hot spring and then ended up exerting more energy than normal. His body needed rest. Still, it was all worth it. The dancer stretched with a soft yawn before heading over to his friend's chair to pat her on the head. "I think it's about time for this Gerudo to get to bed. Thanks for keeping me company, little Kahili. Stay safe, you hear me? And don't let the Resistance get to you - if those kids start picking on you, just call me and I'll come running, okay?"

Kahili: The girl blushed as he head was pat, that hadn't happened for a long time either. this boy was bringing back all sorts of memories in the short time they'd been together.
"A-Alright!" Thank you again!" She stood up from her chair and bowed over to him to bid him goodbye. " I hope to see you again very soon Mister Jerial." Returning from her bow she waved to the dancer. Perhaps soon she too would turn in for the night.