It was quite a sight to find so many cherry blossoms together like this, and it was Nadine’s first official visit to the small park. She had always seen it from a distance as she passed through Hosenka, but she was glad to finally see the trees up close. Coming in the dead of night might have been a strange time to do so, but the demi-human did not want to deal with the crowds during the day. There seemed to be a few other people with the same idea, but she could have counted them all on one hand. As lively as the city could be at night it seemed that there were other places people preferred to be past midnight.

In one hand she held a round white paper lamp to light her way as she walked. From the pathway she could see shapes carved into several sakura trees, and she changed course towards them. She had heard that magic kept these trees alive throughout the year, and Nadine believed the rumors without needing to see it herself. A city that promoted splendor would spare no expense when it came to extravagance.

When she got closer to a tree she held the lamp up as she inspected the carvings on its bark. Silently she would slowly circle around the tree to study the inscriptions and hanging charms. Nadine stopped when she completed a full circle. Carefully she reached out to put her palm on the tree as a green magic seal appeared over the back of her hand.

“Very healthy for living in a city,” she commented softly, “but what have they carved into you?”

The markings on the bark were nothing like what she would see back home in Minstrel. The magic seal disappeared from her hand as she pulled away. Curving her tail around to her side Nadine hung her lantern on its tip. She then retrieved a pencil and a small notepad from a pocket before she started to sketch the carvings.

She hadn’t gotten very far in her copying when footsteps sounded nearby. Nadine’s tail swung the lamp in the direction of the noise as her head also turned to investigate. She didn’t see anyone, but instincts had her on full alert now. Something didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t find evidence to support her suspicion. Putting her notepad and pencil away Nadine walked away from the tree and back onto the park’s main pathway.

Maybe finding a different place to study would be better. She couldn't shake the feeling that there were more people lingering in the park than she could see.

Prey feels scared. Prey runs.

Nadine was not prey. If anything, the feeling of being watched was upsetting the woman. Other than for studying the trees she had brought the lantern to stand out in the dimly lit park, hoping it would deter any troublemakers. However as she approached another tree her lamp did not seem to help much with its second job. By then Nadine had returned it to her hand allowing her tail to sway lazily above the ground behind herself. The demi-human didn’t even bother trying to get near the tree.

Holding the lanter up she realized why something had felt wrong to her then. Sakura petals littered the ground, but below them she couldn’t see the grass near the base of the tree. A darkness replaced the ground, as if the petals were sitting on a still surface of jet black. ‘Is this another magical charm?’ she wondered to herself as she raised a brow. Deciding against getting into any possible trouble tonight Nadine frowned and returned to the main path again. As she left the tree she didn’t notice the darkness receding into the ground leaving a patch of yellowed grass in its place.

She didn’t hear footsteps after that. It was only from looking at more trees to the side did Nadine finally become aware of the person behind herself. How long the girl had been following her for she wasn’t sure, but the fact that she had been snuck up on at all bothered Nadine a fair bit. The demi-human’s shoes scuffed the pathway as she turned around to face the stranger.

Other than giving an annoyed stare Nadine didn’t initially respond as she looked the petite girl up and down. The kimono she was wearing was elegant, and fitting for Hosenka’s lavish culture. To Nadine’s vague surprise the light of her lantern didn’t dismiss the stranger’s hair color as an illusion of the night; the intriguing shade of blue remained. As for the stranger’s eyes, they were closed for some reason.

‘She can’t be more than a kid?’ she thought with a slight frown.

“Bonsoir,” she finally said in a neutral tone, bidding the girl a ‘good evening’ in Minstrese. Despite the welcoming word the demi-human stood her ground firmly.

Seeing the girl talk and smile while keeping her eyes closed did not calm Nadine’s apprehension. A lot of questions swirled in her thoughts, and a lot of suspicions, too. However, the blue haired girl was not actively threatening her in any manner so there was little the demi-human could do right now. She was curious about the stranger’s self-proclaimed guardianship over Hosenka’s nightlife, though. Her voice was not as friendly as one might expect from a protector. This was an odd encounter that Nadine had not expected.

“A watcher in the dark, wanting to answer questions?” The idea sounded dubious to her, but Nadine maintained her neutral tone. “This is my first time visiting Sakura Alley; although, while I have questions about this place, I can’t help but wonder if you have questions for me as well.” The demi-human did not think that she was special enough to warrant this kind of personal attention, nor did she think this kind of greeting was normal for the park visitors. What was she supposed to do about this?

“Feel free to walk with me then if that satisfies you. Perhaps we can make a little game out of the questions, too. We’ll take turns asking and answering. Are you up for playing?”

Regardless of the girl’s answer Nadine would return the paper lantern to her tail, hanging it off the vertical ridges at its tip. She didn’t think she’d have to fight with a teenager, but the whole act of not opening her eyes was off putting. Nadine still wondered as well how long the girl had been silently following her, and why hadn’t she announced her presence earlier.

“I’ll even give you a freebie: my name’s Nadine Archambault.”

[Beginning of guild post count as Sleeping Calamity]

Respectful as the girl was, the formality of her speech made Nadine frown. It had been a long time since someone last called her ‘Ms. Archambault.’ It may have been polite, but the title still felt too ceremonious for herself.

“Psykhe,” she repeated for her own benefit, careful not to butcher the foreign name in her own accent. Nadine assumed that was the stranger’s name given the lack of any other context beyond mutual introductions. They started their evening walk together through the park, Nadine still holding onto her paper lantern for light. She would curiously glance at Psykhe from the corner of her eyes taking note of the girl’s elaborate attire. It didn’t make sense to the demi-human that someone who looked so young and prosperous would be out here alone at night. What kind of guardian were they? She would have to wait and see.

The girl commented that Nadine might be the first reptilian demi-human to cross her path. That itself wasn’t surprising. There was no sense of wonder or intrigue in Psykhe’s voice, though. When asked what kinds of things she ate Nadine’s frown returned as her head turned to stare directly at the blue haired girl.

“If you think I eat insects, that's a ‘no.’ I’m not that kind of reptile. Granted, I have heard fried tarantulas are worth a try. I wouldn’t expect to find that kind of food here in Hosenka, though.” Her eyes moved to stare ahead as she shrugged her shoulders. There were a lot of exotic foods to try here, but that was too exotic even for this place. “I don’t think my diet differs too much from the average person, although I have an inclination towards meat. I like to hunt when I’m not in the cities. The meat tastes cleaner that way. It’s different from farm animals.” She was unsure of how much detail to add to her answer. Was Psykhe truly interested, or was this just a passing curiosity to fill the time?

“I do some work as a monster hunter. If what I kill looks edible, I’ll try to find a palatable way to cook it. Nature provides.” Feeling that was more than enough for a satisfactory answer Nadine looked back to Psykhe.

“Speaking of nature, what do you know about the carvings on the trees here in Sakura Alley? I was hoping to copy and learn from them. Even as a nature mage I find it difficult to keep plants blooming throughout the whole year.”

At the mention of the restaurant Nadine couldn’t help herself; the idea of getting a late night bite made her salivate a little. She was not overly familiar with Joyan words, though. Her brows scrunched together slightly at the mention of a food item that she did not know.

“Kujira... Sure, why not. I wouldn’t mind trying local specialties while I’m still in town.”

Seeing as how they were leaving the park Nadine pinched out the flame of her paper lantern as she listened to her companion explain the markings on the trees. Kanji. Yes, that was the word for the foreign markings. Once she was sure that her lantern would not relight itself she tossed the item into a trash bin they passed on the pathway. As she looked back to Psykhe she caught the downwards curl of the girl’s lips as her tone shifted to match the melancholic gesture. It was a sudden departure from the girl’s earlier unemotional mannerisms, but Nadine just attributed that to the sensitive topic.

“Detaining spirits under the shade of sakura trees. That’s almost poetic, putting to rest a sinister nature like that with something gentle and pretty. To be restless after death is not a fate I would wish on anyone.” It was Nadine’s turn to frown as she looked ahead, but her tone was blunt and candid instead of saddened. Eyeing the welcoming lights of the restaurant as the pair drew closer the demi-human found her thoughts suddenly derailed by Psykhe’s next question.

What do you eat? What are your goals?

These were not questions she would have expected from someone who looked so young, but after a moment more to think Nadine answered her.

“I have a few. I’ve already mentioned that I’m a connoisseur of exotic beasts. Maybe one day I’ll even hunt a dragon, if I’m lucky. To a lesser degree, traveling has also been a recent hobby. Fiore is not my native country, but it’s always good to see different things. I’m also looking for a way to banish an inner demon of mine, but that’s a completely figurative expression, of course.”

Once they reached the door Nadine put her hand on the wooden surface. Although, instead of opening it, the woman kept it closed to halt their momentum completely. Her smile was polite as she glanced down to Psykhe, but even then her sharpened teeth were noticeable in the red exterior lighting cast down upon them.

“Say, if I was here in Hosenka with malicious intent, how would you stop me as one of the city’s guardians?”