Curiosity and Inquisitiveness ('Guo/Rin)

[Zhen Anguo]

Somehow, Zhen Anguo had found himself on the other side of the world. All the same, 'Guo couldn't help but be amazed at the metal structures and all that stood around them. In reality, he was hungry for a donut, ever since his teacher Vash had introduced them to him, he'd been addicted. Shame that they were rare... And costly. 

It was safe to say that 'Guo stood out amongst the people of Chalybs, mainly because of the beautiful pink flower that he had stuck into his bun of hair on the back of his head, which bobbed along as he walked and stood above the heads of everybody else. Also, there was his huge White Moon Dragon Halberd which was strapped across his back, even for the war-like people of Chalybs, it was apparently a shock to see this thin, young man carrying a weapon that stood slightly taller than him.

Humming to himself as he went, Anguo walked around a corner and bumped into someone, he instantly felt this odd sensation, in his gut, like when he had first made contact with Kerrian, his Lunar Spirit. Letting out a yelp, he almost instantly reached out to grasp the girls wrists and stop her from falling, instead his hands went right through them and grabbed onto her waist instead. He was yet to notice she didn't even have forearms.

"Woah! Are you okay? I'm sorry about that, I should really pay more attention!" He gushed

[Rin Tezuka]

A blank expression crossed my face as I look at the boy. Well, it had been there before. My expression had not changed at all since before he bumped into me. "Huh? What? What happened?" Then I realized I was lying in his arm. "Oh. Did I fall...?" My gaze turns away from him like he isn't even there. "I don't remember falling..." Then I turn back to the boy. "Thanks for catching me, I guess. I couldn't have caught myself."

[Zhen Anguo]

"What do you mean you couldn't have caught yourself, silly?" He asked with a grin as he made sure that the girl was propped upright before he let go. She seemed to be dressed in rather male attire, which struck him as somewhat odd. 

"You could easily have stopped the fall yourself! I just wanted to mak-" His words drifted off as he realised that the girl was seemingly lacking arms below the elbow. 'Guo had lived his entire life in seclusion, to say the least, social skills were not his strong point at all.

"Woah!" He cried, eyes widening. "What happened to your arms?!" People around looked at him with disdain, clearly not happy with the political incorrectness of his statement, but the young Anguo paid no attention, his curiosity was firmly planted upon Rin. 

"That's so odd! I mean, I guess it is a good thing I caught you after all! Hehe..."

[Rin Tezuka]

"Huh? Oh, this? Yeah. I was born without them..." My gaze turns blank again, trying to recall if I ever had them. But I couldn't remember, so I nod at him, to confirm the theory. "I think they had to saw them off because I was strangling the doctors." The smirk on my face shows itself, showing it was obvious sarcasm. The gaze now turned lazy. I was looking at him like I would any other, like this conversation was the most natural thing in the world, even though it was the first anyone had asked me.
"Your clothes look really weird. Are you from here?"

[Zhen Anguo]

"You were... Strangling.. The doctors?" It seems that Zhen Anguo didn't quite yet understand the concept of sarcasm. Instead, he simply got images of a baby trying to wrap it's little hands around someones neck, meanwhile, he gently rubbed at his own with a gulp. "And they sawed your arms off for that?! I mean, I know that Chalybs is a toug place, but I didn't think it was that harsh..." He frowned before hearing her question on his attire.

"Oh? Oh no! I'm from Vuoto! I'm a Salt Monk!" He motioned to a small gourd clipped to his belt. "So I always carry some salt water for rituals and meditation!" He then motioned to the flower in his hair. "And in return for respecting nature, she grants me this flower, as a symbol of my undying respect for her power!" He gave a grin, clearly satisfied with his own answer.

[Rin Tezuka]

"Vuoto? I don't... Wait, Salt Monk?" My gaze widens with interest. "Salt?" I stand up on my tippy-toes, sticking my tongue out to try and lick his face. I fell a few inches short, so I make a small pout in disappointment. Then my face lights back up, and I jump up, licking his cheek. I fall right on my bottom, but I don't seem to notice. "Hmm... yeah. That's salt, all right..." I had already forgotten about all of the monk businesses, and "she" stuff.

[Zhen Anguo]

'Guo frowned, the first thing that popped into his mind, was why did he taste like salt?! He couldn't remember wetting his cheek for any rituals, or lying down at all in Vuoto. Ooh, maybe it was when he had been sparring with Vash? No, that was a fair while ago now, the taste should have washed off... Perhaps it was just the amount of time he spent at home? That would make sense, maybe he just had a 'salty' air about him.

It was only now that he realised that Rin was still say on the floor. "Oh yeah!" He said with a chuckle "It must be a struggle to get up with no wrists, huh?!" He asked as he reached down to help her stand up again, everyone around him glared at him as if he were some sort of bully, but he paid them all no attention.

[Rin Tezuka]

"Thank you." I say, almost as if I didn't care. "I could have gotten up. I do it everyday..." It's getting dressed that's the problem... "Where is Vuoto? Is it far? What does it look like? Why are you here instead of there?" I question him all at once, with a childlike light in my eyes. And they suddenly turn lazy. "Wait... Nevermind. I don't care."
And I turn around and look at where I'd come from. A look of disappointment crosses my face and a groan to match. "...I can't remember where I was going..."

[Zhen Anguo]

'Guo raised a finger as if to answer all of her questions at once, and even took a deep breath in preparation, but then her eyes glazed over and she pointed out that she didn't care, forcing 'Guo to drop his hand and let out a disappointed sigh as he watched her walk off. When she pointed out she couldn't remember where she was going, Anguo decided now was his chance to jump in and play the hero!

"If you want my advice!" He started, jumping next to her with a clank. "Do you want my completely amateur opinion?!" He asked, continuing anyway before Rin even had a chance to respond. "Go that way!" He pointed to their left. "I went down their earlier and saw this beeeaaauuutiiful mural. But, I don't think it's finished... Still... It was awesome! You should totally check it out..." He paused as he tried to think of a name.

"Oh! Where are my manners?! My name is Zhen Anguo!" It was normally here that he'd take her hand and kiss it, but given the circumstances, he just bowed instead.

[Rin Tezuka]

I blink twice. "That mural is where I was going. I was going to finish painting it, today..." I turn and look down the way. And a nod to confirm. Then I start walking ahead, and a sudden stop. I turn around to face the man who showed me where I was going. "Thank you for helping me, Mr. Zhen. I am Rin Tezuka..." I blink again to confirm the names. "Yes, I remember. That is my name..." I yawn rather loudly. "It's too early... Come with me, Mr. Zhen. I need help."

[Zhen Anguo]

"Y-you painted that..?" He stuttered as she walked away, to say the least he was shocked, Rin had no arms, and yet the mural he had seen was absolutely beautiful! Ideas suddenly rushed through his head as to how she possibly could do such a thing. "Maybe, she has a hidden third arm..." he thought "Or maybe tentacles, or, or, or! Telekinetic powers... That's be cool... Moving the brush with her mind, like something you'd see in a children's story! Maybe anyone can do it, and only she's learnt how... Maybe she could teach me... I could be a telekinetic too..." He frowned in thought for a moment before setting off after her, his weapon chiming in time with his jog.

"Of course you're going to need help, silly! You don't have arms!" He called, much to the chagrin of those around him. He inclined his head in a sort of bow as he walked. "But please, Ms Tezuka, just call me 'Guo! I hate my full name!"

[Rin Tezuka]

"Then you should call me Rin, 'Guo." I don't look back at him. "The mural shouldn't be far..." I refuse to say anything more for the short walk. I was looking at the sky...

The endless gray of the Chalybs sky... It felt like there should be more. The sky was either gray or black... it didn't feel correct. My face showed obvious discontent with that. I wanted more colors... It needed more color. There was more to it, but it just wasn't seen. Which is how I feel about myself...

"I am the sky..." I mutter upon arriving at the mural. On the steel wall, my mural cried to be finished. I wave my stumps around wildly, making the bag fall off of my back. Then I turn my lazy gaze to 'Guo. "You. Take the materials out of there. I'd do it myself, but you seem so intent on thinking I'd have troubles."

[Zhen Anguo]

"Well..." Guo started as he leaned down to pick up her bag. "In fairness, you don't have arms. Is it so hard for me to assume you'd struggle?" He chuckled slightly as he pulled out all sorts of paints and brushes from the bag and laid them out on the floor near the mural. "In all honesty, I'm still struggling to believe that you did all this!" He motioned out wide to the wall with a big grin on his face.

"That's really impressive, Rin! I mean, I can't paint, or draw, or even write now that I think about it! I know a few characters but that's it really... And then there's you! Some inconspicuous girl in Chalybs, painting beautiful murals without any arms... I'm impressed! Not that that's hard. It's a bit like when I had my first donut really!" He proceeded to go into a spiel on the beauty of donuts and why they served as a banner and weapon for peace.

[Rin Tezuka]

I tune out his talk about donuts. I had already begun taking the brushes and sorting them out by bristle size and length. "Mix me a red. Red like my hair. And it has to be perfectly identical. Otherwise I can't use it, and you've wasted paint." My voice is flat and uncaring, but hinted that there would be consequences if it wasn't done to perfection.
I take a larger brush between my toes and begin coating it smoothly in a dark green paint, bringing it high in the air, above my head with a pained grunt, continuing the work.

[Zhen Anguo]

"U-uh... Okay!" 'Guo replied, perfectly aware that punishment would be present if he screwed up here. Looking down at the paints, he mused silently for a minute, better of he made a lighter shade and added to that, rather than guessing and making something darker and making a mess of getting it right. Mixin two batches together, he made a light red, not far off from Rin's hair. Biting his bottom lip, he increased the amounts slightly, and slowly mixed them together, the shade and hue slowly becoming that of Rin's hair. He let out a deep and held in sigh before watching her paint.

He had never seen anything like it, for the briefest moment he was mesmerised, and it wasn't just him, the average citizens walked past slack-jawed at the armless painter and her onlooker with his large pole blade laid out next to him whilst he sat crossed watching. He didn't even notice that he was staring, he was too brought in by her painting style.