[FIN]Fire and Water Don't Mix [Jelanii | Ziari]

[Vy]

Tangled Puppet

There was one good thing about reaching Sulburi and that was there was actually an oasis. Unfortunately that was the only thing and to further taint the thought of finally being near beautiful pristine water and out of the endless mass of sand was that stepping into Sulburi meant stepping into the Oban Capital. Obans everywhere. Just thought made him shudder. Back in Awat he had already gotten his full of Obans and that had been just a small town. What would he do in a city where they were literally stacked on top of each other. It made his skin crawl.

He took a deep breath and glared at the dry grass that was the only true flora in Oba. It wasn't just that. He had a lead on Cerith and if his lead panned out, his sister might be in this very city. He wasn't sure if she was passing through, settled here, or if she had been enslaved in the city the whole time. There was so much that he didn't know and a part of him was afraid.

Does she hate me? He clenched his fist at his side. It didn't matter. He had to find her regardless and if she was in Sulburi, then he would have to look. Still he didn't move, instead he continued to glare at the dry grass, gathering up the will to continue onward to the city.  

[Tangled Puppet]

Ziari stared at her present — a baby kinfa — and wondered what her parents expected out of her now. She watched as Aser hopped along, stopping to stretch his wings out and look up at her expectantly. There had been no reason for the present — it was neither any sort of holiday or her birthday — and yet she wasn’t surprised in the least. Her parents, with money to spend, tended to gift her with things she might not otherwise need or even think of buying. A kinfa was one.

She tilted her head, moving over towards the creature and reaching a hand out hesitantly. Even as a baby, the kinfa — Aser, she reminded herself — was already at least up to her mid thigh in height. As her fingers grazed along the feathers jutting up from his head, Aser trilled happily and stretched up into the touch until Ziari had no choice but to give him a full on pet. The corner of her lips twitched up as she crouched and scritched under the bird’s beak and elicited a softer trill from it this time.

As Ziari stood, she wondered if perhaps the gift was something to help sway her, convince her that she could have her love of animals and remain in Sulburi and be something other than a beast tamer. This made her snort, causing Aser to tilt his head and look at her quizzically. Ziari shook her head in response and patted her shoulder. “Let’s go for a stroll, hm?” At the invitation, Aser flapped his wings and was quickly perching on her arm. She grunted under the weight and tilted her head to the side to get a better look at her companion. “I’ve just gotten you and you’re already almost too big to perch on my shoulders.” At her words, Aser only nuzzeld against the side of her head.

Ziari grabbed her bag and headed out, not leaving so much as a note behind for her parents. Chances are, she’d return back to the house before they would even grace the place with their presence, as was usual. She didn’t mind, though. It left her with a freedom she doubted she’d have had otherwise. Even as a younger girl, with a maid to watch over her, Zi had had more freedom than if her parents had been around more.

It didn’t take long before she had made her way through the city and was stepping out into the open areas, outside of the city. Once there, she stopped and allowed Aser to hop down — stirring up dust as he landed on the dry desert floor. “Go on, have your fun. Fly as you wish but don’t go far, ok?” Aser trilled happily, wings spreading out and flapping. Once. Twice. Three times and he was up into the air and circling, low, over head with Ziari watching closely. She couldn’t help but let a small laugh escape her at his joy.  

[Vy]

Tangled Puppet

After standing there for who knows how long, Jelanii finally sighed and looked up. He reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow. It was either move or die from dehydration outside Sulburi. He took a step forward and stopped. Flying in the sky was an orange and red kinfa like a feathery sun. The sight made a soft smile spread across his lips. Ah, maybe not everything in Oba was the terrible them. He stood there, watching the bird as it circled and as he did he could hear laughter in the distance.

He tore his gaze away only to see a young woman standing in the distance, also watching the kinfa. The smile drooped and Jelanii was tempted to avoid her, but instantly dismissed it. He was about to enter an entire city filled with Oban, he couldn't allow himself to be deterred by a singly lone one. So he stepped forward, his face set in a determined scowl. His dark hair brushed against his cheek as he moved. He kept his shoulders straight, his chin up and proud.

AS he moved closer, his gaze caught sight of the kinfa. "It's too bad..." He said to himself. Such a beautiful creature in an Oban's hands. He felt bad for it.  

[Tangled Puppet]

Aser circled a few more times before swooping low and coming to a perch back on Ziari’s shoulder. The sudden weight caused her to stumble back a bit but the smile never left her face. Though they hadn’t been together for very long, the bond between the two of them had already formed and solidified. So much so that the kinfa made Ziari’s alone time so much more tolerable. Aser chirruped, nipping playfully at one of Ziari’s dreads and ruffling his feathers.

“You enjoyed that, hm? We’ll stay a bit lon…” Ziari’s words cut off as Aser’s attention focused on something else completely. He was off Ziari’s shoulder and back into the air in an instant and she could only watch as he swooped and moved away from her. She frowned as her gaze followed his descent until her her attention caught hold of another person. A...Matorian? Her eyes narrowed as she started to move forward. “Aser, c’mere.” Aser paused as he landed on the ground, gaze flicking back to Zi, a confused look on his face. Reluctantly he obeyed, turning away from the stranger and hopping back over to Ziari and welcoming the absent minded pet she offered him.  

[Vy]

When the kinfa flew off the Oban woman's shoulder and landed not too far away from him, he couldn't help his expression softening and the hint of a smile touch its lip. He started to speak to it when the fire woman called the bird back. The bird obeyed with a confused look. Jelanii watched it go, feeling slight remorse at its departure. Lately he had been meeting so much innocence and it made him sad to know eventually that it all would be tarnished, because of the Oban.

He moved closer, finally reaching the girl. He could have simply walked by, but he often let his tongue get away from him. "You didn't have to worry. I would never hurt the kinfa. I think hurting things is more your kinds terriotory."  

[Tangled Puppet]

Ziari tensed at the boy’s words, her hand stalling mid pet as her gaze narrowed in on him. “I would never hurt Aser.” She huffed as she brought her hand away from her kinfa and crossed her arms over her chest protectively. How dare he accuse her of something so horrible when he didn’t even know her. “You’re a stranger. Am I to let my kinfa go up to every strange person that decides to grace Oba with their presence? What kind of owner would I be then?”  

[Vy]

Tangled Puppet

"You wouldn't be able to help yourself. It's in your nature," Jelanii said with a shrug. He gazed at the kinfa. Again feeling a wave of pity for it, before he shook it off. "No, I suppose you shouldn't. Though at least the kinfa knew me for a good person. Good instincts, I suppose."

He smiled at the bird. Then turned his orange eyes back on the girl, narrowing them slightly. "I suppose I will leave you to your kinfa. If you could point me to the cities gate and possibly the oasis."  

[Tangled Puppet]

Vy

Ziari snorted and rolled her eyes. “You know nothing about me and what my ‘nature’ is. You've no right to judge me and you best watch your tongue. You do know where you are, right?” She rolled her shoulders, the tension in them and her neck growing the more she stared at the boy. What business did he have here and who did he think he was, talking to her in such a manner?

At his last comment she huffed, hands resting on her hips as she looked at him in disbelief. One moment he was insulting her and the next he wanted her help. Ziari grit her teeth, lashes dipping, as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The motion allowed her to calm herself before opening her mouth to speak again.

“The city gates are just that way,” she said with a tilt of her head. “As for the oasis, you’re in it.” Her eyebrow quirked up and she tilted her head. “Sulburi, Orrod and Jatine are all part of the center oasis in Oba.”  

[Vy]

Tangled Puppet

Jelanii felt himself straightened at the girl's words. Watch his tongue? And did he realize where he was? Of course he did. He gritted his teeth. "I know where I am. In the midst of a godforsaken country surround by salvers and people who have the misconception that they have the right to tell someone to do anything." He glared at her. "And I know plenty of your nature. And you have confirmed it right now with your words."

He snorted. "But I suppose all that wouldn't matter to you. A people of slavers and abusers. I should expect anything else." He nodded to her. "Thanks for the directions as far as that went. Now, I'm off to find my sister who again, your people decided to enslave."  

[Tangled Puppet]

Ziari’s hands moved from her hips and she crossed her arms over her chest. With each word the boy spoke, her anger rose a notch. Granted, she knew that not all of her fellow Obans were guiltless and a lot were definitely not very nice. Especially to outsiders. However, the ways of some were not the ways of others and she resented being lumped into that group.

“Now wait just a minute!” Ziari blurted out, her anger getting the best of her. “I know we’re not all sunshine and rainbows but you’ve no right to put me into that category. I’ve done nothing to you. And I certainly didn’t…” Her words trailed off as the last thing he said fully registered and she snapped her mouth shut. Ziari’s brows knit together as she bit her lip and shook her head.  

[Vy]

Tangled Puppet

"Oh? What was that?" Jelanii turned around with a toothy smile, like a Janarim about to go in for the kill. "You've done nothing to me, right?" He looked pointedly at the richness of her clothes, speaking of a wealthy lifestyle. "So you have never owned slaves, never benefited from a society that has built itself on the backs of families they stolen, goods they took as if it was owed to them. Yes, perfectly innocent."

He tightened his fist. "I don't know if you are that naieve or that selfish," he shrugged. "It doesn't matter, I suppose, because nothing I say will change anything. It'll be what I do that changes this world. But you, if you really want to sit there, being high and mighty, justifying your lack of responsibility, look at your goods, your silks and satins, and find out where they really come from. Go and take a walk through Sald, a city that is now dying because of the slavers, or through Baun, one that is recovering, but still have the scars. Then fine me and tell me, you're not responsible."

His lip curled at just the thought. "Explain to me all the times you fought against slavery, that you spoke out, and how you turned away all the goods and luxuries, because you knew the cost of keeping them. Can you say any of that?"  

[Tangled Puppet]

Ziari frowned and opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She did this a few more times before finally giving up and looking down at Aser. The kinfa chirruped and tilted his head, confused by his owner’s sad look. “Mmm...My family does not own slaves,” she finally said, after what seemed like ages. “We have a maid, yes...but she’s of Oban decent and has been with the family since before I was born.” She bit her lip as she looked back up at the boy, some of her anger already gone. “She’s treated well. Paid a good salary and is free to leave if she wishes.” She sighed and ran her fingers roughly through her dreads, displacing some of them and huffing when they fell into her face.

“Perhaps you’re right.” Her eyes closed at the admission and she sighed. “I am a hypocrite, even if I do not agree with the actions of other Obans, I have done nothing against them either..” Her gaze flicked back to the boy, narrowing slightly. “I am sorry about your sister, though.”  

[Vy]

Tangled Puppet

Jelanii opened his mouth to say apology not accepted. Why should he accept her apology after all? She was an Oban and no hindsight regret would change that. But yet, he didn't say those words, instead he gritted his teeth. His teeth were clenched so tight that the muscle in his jaw twitched.

Wasn't he also to blame? He did nothing as his sister was taken, just watched it all unfold in shock. Just the thought made his gut twist. He looked away from the girl. He tried to gather his words enough to seep past the rage and guilt.

"If you really are sorry then do something about it."  

[Tangled Puppet]

Ziari had prepared herself for more cruel words. Words, that while she may be undeserving of, her people weren’t. What came next, however, both surprised and confused her. What could she possibly do that could change how things were — how they still might be? She was just one person. And a young person at that. She shook her head, more to clear her thoughts than dismissal of the boy’s words. “And how, pray tell, do you suggest I do that? What could I possibly do to change the thoughts and…” she sneered before spitting out the last word. “...traditions?”