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"Disguises?" Autsu asked, taking in Patrick and Anne's words with a furrowed brow. He glanced at the shop again. They didn't look much like disguises as he knew them, but he could appriciate the things made to hide ones true form.

"We look like something else, now." He said, slowly puzzling out exactly what he wanted to say, and trying to fit it into a language he still found strange. "And it is smart for a soldier to be able to hide, sometimes."

It was hard, trying to think this way. Autsu did not mind indulging in his new, childish impulses. He hadn't had the luxury in his last life, and he admitted to feeling a great love for his new family. But in the end, he was not a child, and when the time came to express his true thoughts, he often stumbled. The language, which expressed useful desires well enough, fell flat when real communication was needed.

"I was curious, earlier. We will not go unless you wish to." Repeated firmly, and Autsu crossed delicate, many scabbed arms stubbornly.

Kniene, who had been enjoying talking to Patrick until this point, was simply watching in rapt facination. He had never seen Autsu act in this manner, and it was only getting stranger. Was this loyalty he was seeing?

"It is a sacred thing, to honor the dead." He murmured, not taking his eyes off the children. "I did not realize they had such a holiday here."

At Kian's decision, Autsu simply nodded. He could have filled the air with more unnecissary words, but why? They were both clear on their desires. Soldiers did not need idle chitchat. He moved to follow Kian, standing to his left and a step behind. A familiar 'guard' position. His new ally was also a fighter, but Autsu did not know what other role to take.

Still not looking away from the children, Kniene allowed Patrick to speak, interupting when another unfamiliar word came up, "Pagan?" He asked, his tone mild and distracted, "I fear I do not know that god."

At the question, he smiled mildly, and finally looked up. "He believes defiance will protect him. It is the same where I come from, when the children that come to us have difficult pasts."

Autsu followed Anne showing less facination with the mish-mash of colour than his ally did. He had, after all, lived in the palace. And while the royals had money, many of them had lacked, at least in his uneducated opinion, in taste. Of course-- but nevermind.

He was not to think of 'royals'.

Instead, his searching gaze fell on something that both surprised and confused him. A 'costume'... like a lizard. There was the tail, and the hood that went over the head, and if it wasn't for the fact that he was more or less 'on duty' he would have run to it. He could dress as... himself?

He settled for pointing out a pair of wings instead, bright gold and glittery. "There is much that is strange, here."

Keeping in step with Patrick, Kniene followed the boys in. "I am pagan, by that description, as is everyone where I am from. We do not have the gods you speak of."

At the man's next words, he hesitated a bit. He was not Sril'kat, versed in the raising of children, and, as he was born to the guard, his own background was not painful. But still, no member of the Autumn Guard was completely free of responsibility to the little ones.

"From you." He answered at last, watching the deceptively 'happy' seeming young boys with empathy. "It can be assumed that both our children had... difficulty, previous to coming to us. He wishes to keep you at a distance. He does not trust you, and it may be that he does not have a background that allows for an understanding of what trust is. Or kindness."

A shake of his head, auburn hair falling into his face. Poor children.

"Sometimes, children find someone to latch onto, to look up to. And that is who they need. Other times, they keep to themselves, and the healing is a very slow thing." Another pause, coupled with a sigh. "And with adults, as they are, in some ways, it is even more difficult."

"Yes. Much strange." Autsu echoed the words, not minding the strange sentence construction. To him, it was not so much odder than the type his father used. Catching what was said next only barely, he made no response. Not to go back? Yes, there was a point there. His ally was wise. Wiser than he was, with all his foolish longings. He would be a good soldier. He would not look at the lizard costume again.

"We are too short, and untrained. I am clumsy, and you do not know how to use your tail." Again, he was blunt, and why not? Anne would understand. Anne was a fighter. "We drill. We learn to fight. That is what this time is for."

"But--" And here he stumbled, cutting himself off and fighting through the language trying to get his thoughts out. "There is no-- there are-- It is good to know how to fight. It is important. But why? I can not just fight. There must be-- I need--"

He gave up, shaking his head. Who would he serve, he wanted to ask. But the words did not fit into the language he had, and he hissed, his true tongue, though it fit poorly in his mouth. It went on for awhile before he finally said, in the language they shared. "I have no master."

It was not the word he wanted, but he had not been taught 'commander' yet.

"Perhaps his concept of parenthood differs from yours. Or perhaps he is just angry. I know how difficult it is, being an exhile." Another glance at the two boys. In a strange way, they looked simular. The same dark skin, and odd intensity. "I do not know much of retribution or rehabilitation. My Goddess, the Lady Autumn, guides us to children who need us. Even here, I try to serve her."

Kniene looked around as he spoke, shocked and confused by many of the costumes and masks. "And people wear these?"

"Purpose." Echoed 'tsu, trying out the word and finding it good. He inclined his head in a severe little nod. At the boy's suggestion of finding a reason to fight, the small boy bit his lip. In Ex'Di'Ne, battle was done for the purpose of protecting and pleasing the Ex. They were wiser, they knew what needed to be done. No Ex, no reason for battle. But as his insistance on calling the other boy Anne showed, he had decided to reject such vicious classism. Which left... what?

"There is us. And other comrades I have seen." A bold enough statement, dragging Anne so abruptly into an 'us' status, but he didn't hesitate. "If we train, we can protect each other. And then--"

But he hadn't quite gotten that far yet. The future still remained a mystery, and maybe he was content to leave it that way, at least for now. As long as, as the other boy said, he was doing something.

"And then we will find a reason."

"Interesting." Kniene said, more to be polite then from any actual interest in the holiday. Nevermind the wildness of his own people, this was just... strange. Without the proper background, he was having a difficult time understanding the point. Maybe it'd be good for 'tsu though. He might enjoy dressing up.

His gaze remained on the children. "Perhaps it is good for them, to meet someone who understands how they feel."

"There are more than us." Autsu stated, his voice touched by the hesitation that had come over him as their conversation became more serious. Not hesitation to express his thoughts so much as hesitation over the proper words to express them. "Those that are not... them."

A gesture to take in the store quickly and somewhat coldly. Did he feel above the real children? Somewhat. At least more aware, more wise. They trusted so much. "But not all who are us are comrades. We must be careful, I believe."

Kniene smiled in reflection of the child's smile, and his confusion at the expression. "It may be best, then, if we could bring them together again?"

"They seem to find some comfort in each other." He looked at his son, gesturing animately as he spoke to the other boy, "And I worry about 'tsu having only myself and his brother."

That bit of garbled speech was difficult for Autsu, and he frowned as he attempted to push it into a format he could understand. Deciding that the important message was that Anne knew another one of them, but didn't like him Autsu frown. "When I was smaller, I met one who was like us. But I have not since met him. I do not think he is the same as the one you speak of."

He had been scanning the room, as if another of their 'kind' might appear somewhere in the room, and he found himself pausing his gaze on one of the walls. A ninja costume, though he didn't have the context to understand the label, despite being able to read it. "Night disguise. For those not adapted to the dark. This body, it does not change."

He looked down at his skin in disgust. Dark adapted in colour, but not in eyesight. Insane! And his form had not changed since he first woke in the pod. Stupid body. Walking toward the black outfit in question, he reached out to touch the plastic sword that seemed a part of the display. "Why the practice weapons? Too light. Wood is better for learning."

"Perhaps having a friend will help him become more comfortable with his family as well. It is more difficult to be resentful, if one is happy." He watched as his son examined one of the costumes. "I think he has found something he likes."

His ally's brother then, was another one of them. But not an ally, clearly. They could stand together against such an enemy, if it ever came to be needed. It was not that time yet. They had much training to do. "It would do us well to find them. My father speaks of a 'Sir Archie'. The man who found us homes. He is also as we are. There may be a list."

"No cutting. It was natural, for us. As we grew, our bodies changed to fit our needs. I had the body of a soldier." He looked down at his delicate, almost elegant, long fingered hands, felt the frailty of his slight form. "This body does not change."

When his ally's attention was caught, he followed, but not before stealing the night disguise from its hook. This would come with him, when he left. What he would do about hiding his wings... well... maybe he could dye them? The hood would cover his hair at least. And perhaps Sethos would understand that he needed a true sword. Or at least a better one for practice.

"It has horns."

Kniene smiled, a hint of amusement taking the place of earlier fatherly pride. "An interesting choice."

"It may do well to ask him what he needs. Despite being a child in some ways, Autsu knows what he wants, though he doesn't always like to speak of such things."