[Training] Looking for a Fight (open)

"Oh, I could have... thanks," he mumbled abashedly as Alina cleaned up his mess, saving him the trouble of doing it later. It let him focus on keeping anymore blood off the floor, but the flicker of hopeful warmth in his eyes guttered and died at her obvious distaste and he wilted a little, making a small nod so as not to dislodge the cloth.

"I... yes, that's what Jiao called me," he agreed softly. He followed her more slowly from the ring, heading for his bow and quiver. Her question came as a bit of a surprise, as he hadn't expected the warrior to care about learning more about him after her unfavorable opinion towards Outlanders (or Abandoned... or both?). "We were of the Hidden," he explained. "The people of my world who weren't human. My mother is an anemoi, the folk of the wind. She could take a human form for a short period of time, but her true form was less solid, with wings of moonlight. My father..." He gave a slight shrug. "He was human. A dalliance that had... unexpected consequences. I never knew him. By the the time my mother realized what had happened she was already gone from that land."

He hesitated, then dipped his head in an awkward half-bow to the short fighter, still holding the cloth to his face. "I'm Kellan, by the way. What... what may I call you?" A dangerous thing, to ask for or give a true name, but he'd learned that was something else this world held different from his own. Still, old habits were hard to break.

Alina narrowed her eyes at the man. "I got it." It was uneccessary to explain that, given that she had already completed the cleanup. So as to hopefully not draw attention to the fact that she was keeping the blood, she shrugged. "I made you bleed, after all."

Turns out, she didn't actually care that much what he had to say. Indeed, her expression grew quite bored and she suppressed a yawn at his explanation. "Whatever you were, you're an Abandoned and an Outlander. Better get used to it." Again, there was something hostile in her voice.

Turning she headed towards the exit. As he introduced himself, however, she paused. Scowling, she glanced back at him. "Alina." It came out short and clipped. Facing front again, she resumed her stalk towards the door.

Kel perked up hopefully for a moment as Alina seemed to show a flicker of compassion and interest, but it was short lived as the warrior woman made it clear that whatever had moved her to ask the question, she cared less about his answer than about leaving him behind.

Like a kicked puppy he deflated at her unkind words and the open hostility in them, and he didn't even try to stop her as she made her way out. Rubbing his hands over his arms to try and soothe the goosebumps her disdain had left, he gave her plenty of time to walk away and clear the street before he slowly gathered up his belongings and followed, feet trudging and shoulders drooping until he reached the door.

Then he squared his shoulders, trying to shake off the sense of loneliness that pierced his chest more sharply than ever. It wouldn't do to show weakness in the streets of Haulani, he'd learned, and the bloody lip was already bad enough without adding more to it. Weapons in hand and eyes sharp for two-legged predators, he slipped out the door and headed for the edge of town.

{Finished}