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Hijiki cracked a smile at that. "Of course he is harder to fool. He's better with keeping a mask up." He tilted his head back and forth as he thought. "His face when I left, huh...? Probably upset that I didn't break your mask the way I did his." When she questioned his 'flipped' comment, he nodded. "You're similar, but in opposite ways. Or something like that." He paused for another moment, trying to think of a way to explain. "You have gave off the same feeling as him, like you were wearing a mask. But your mask and his mask are complete opposites... and the face hiding behind it is the same as the other's mask." He tilted his head again. "Does that make sense?" He wasn't really used to explaining his impressions of people to anyone but Salil.

Hijiki tilted his head to the other side. "Right now you aren't. But before you were. This... polite you, I guess, was hiding behind the teasing. Though even when you were talking politely at the beginning, it felt like you had a mask on... Anyway, with Salil, it's the opposite. His politeness is his mask."

Hijiki blushed a little, positive that the little brown fish on his cheek turned red with it. "I can always tell when someone's wearing a mask," he grumbled, a little embarrassed by her strange brand of teasing. "I'm a mask breaker. That's my job." Before he could reply to her question, a voice just through the air from behind him.

"You seem to be getting along much better now." Salil approached at his usual, casual pace, shaking some leaves from his mane. "Are you alright now, Jiki?"

Hijiki nodded. "Perfectly fine. What about you? I heard you got pouty when I left." He grinned when he saw Salil's inner struggle. "Go ahead and take off the mask. She already saw you break your composure before."

Salil's face immediately became more emotional and a bit irritable. "I was not pouting!" he exclaimed as he marched up to Hijiki. "I was scowling, internally scowling! You're not supposed to run off like that, you're supposed to shut them down! And I know you saw through it."

"Of course I saw through it, but that doesn't mean I'm immune to it, Jellin," Hijiki replied dismissively. "You're just mad because she beat you fair and square, Sir Fortress. Losing your touch?"

Salil made a gaping face before blurting out, "I am not!" They continued on like this for some time before Hijiki finally asked, "Feeling better?" Salil took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. "Yes. Yes, I think I am."

Hijiki grinned. "Yeah, it's easier to show than to explain... Makes sense, though, right?"

Salil jumped--actually jumped--a good foot in the air when Serenne spoke. He had completely forgotten that she was there. He cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. "You were talking about me, Jiki?" he asked, a little wounded.

"Of course," Hijiki replied. "You were one of the only topics to talk about, and since there aren't any hard feelings between Serenne and I about what happened earlier, the other topics ended quickly. Plus, I'm horrible with small talk and changing topics. You know this, Jellin." Smirking, he added, "Don't worry, I didn't say anything terribly embarrassing..." The intense glare that bored into him made him sigh. "Ok, ok, I kid. I didn't tell her anything embarrassing about you. But I might if you keep glaring at me." While his friend sulked, Hijiki turned to Serenne. "So... what are you going to do now? Because if you aren't doing anything of consequence, you could come with us?"

Salil's eyes went wide as he made the gaping fish face again. "W-What? We didn't discuss this!" he protested. What was with Hijiki today? Did he fall for this mare or something?

Before Salil could reply, Hijiki spoke up with a huge grin on his face. "Are you sure you want someone who's seen you without your mask leaving your sight, Jellin? Who knows what nasty rumors about the esteemed Salil Jellicin could crop up?" He knew he was pressing buttons--and he knew it was obvious--but it had to be done. Someone who could break through Hijiki's composure and Salil's mask, even a little, was someone special. Someone that they couldn't just allow to leave and disappear from their lives.

Salil huffed, glaring at Hijiki before turning away from both him and Serenne. "You aren't subtle at all, Jiki... Sometimes it's embarrassing to watch..." He sighed irritably. "... But you do have a point. And I will admit, I'm... curious to see if we can analyze her unique brand of... teasing." Salil looked over his shoulder, once again innocently polite. "Very well. Will you be joining us, Miss Serenne?"

Salil nodded to her first question. "Yes. There are certain types of teasing that only mares can use, just as there are ones that only stallions can use. And for someone who doesn't appear to tease very often, your ability to tease is quite... powerful. It's piqued my interest."

Hijiki shrugged to the explanation. He wasn't as interested in the teasing as he was in Serenne's... well, unusual personality. Polite on the inside but playful on the outside, the opposite of Salil. "Well, how about we head back to base, Captain?" he suggested flippantly. He and Salil had taken up residence in this old, abandoned human dwelling that one had called a "dojo" once. The roof was intact and the rooms were large enough for them to move around in, so the two stallions had taken up residence in it.

Salil paused thoughtfully, then nodded. "Very well. Let's go." He turned and started walking, listening to the sound of hooves following him. Would there be two sets or just one?

Salil sighed. "Just because I said your talents were powerful and that I was interested in them does not mean I was effected by them, Miss Serenne," he replied, trying not to revert to his true self. He couldn't be letting his guard down around Serenne; he didn't want to make a habit out of it. There was no telling what the mare's true intentions were.

Hijiki just smirked, amused by both his best friend and the mare who seemed to get him riled up even more than he did. He caught the tone in Serenne's voice, something Salil clearly didn't pick up on. The mare was curious. He wasn't terribly surprised; most were about the odd pair of stallions that pestered everyone in sight.

"You'll see, Miss Serenne." Teasings of patience were Salil's favorite type, though he didn't get to use them often; most didn't stick around long enough. "I think you'll like it. Don't you agree, Jiki?"

Hijiki just shrugged and replied, "Maybe. I guess we'll find out when we get there."