[b][color=#CE2B95]"Don’t apologize,"[/color][/b] Yue answered after an awkwardly long pause, then looked up at D and smiled, genuinely this time. [b][color=#CE2B95]"I wouldn’t have gone. Too many unanswered questions. As angry as I am, something happened that was serious enough to spook my whole family into hiding, I’m coming to discover,"[/color][/b] she sniffled, pushing herself to her feet and wiping her nose on her arm… then grimacing because she just wiped snot into her open scrapes. 

[i]Smart.[/i]

She kept her eyes averted. As long as she didn’t look directly at D the vertigo was manageable, which was fine since eye contact was a thing that happened to other people.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"In a way, I’ve been running my whole life. Now that I know that there [i]was[/i] something to run from, I want to stand my ground and punch it in the face… keep it from happening to anyone else."[/color][/b] She extended a hand.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"If your sage advice will help me do that then you are, indeed, quite charming… after a fashion. It’s Yue. Nice to meet you while I’m awake?"[/color][/b]

D didn’t take Yue’s hand, but rather extended one of her own, a piece of blank cardstock appearing between her first two fingers as she turned her palm up. [b][color=#455420]”Likewise,”[/color][/b] D greeted in turn. [b][color=#455420]My business card, so you can get in touch with me next time you’re in trouble.”[/color][/b]

Yue’s eyes flicked down to the card as she took it and flipped it over in her hand… and flipped it again. What the hell? [b][color=#CE2B95]"It’s blank? H-how…,"[/color][/b] Yue trailed off, feeling like she was about to sound silly by asking how she was supposed to call a phone with no number. Were there even phones down here?

[b][color=#455420]”It’s not blank, it’s empty,”[/color][/b] D corrected.[b][color=#455420]”Of course you wouldn’t be able to see something that isn’t there. You’re looking at it.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"It’s-, This is-, But it’s-... Sure! Sure… Coolcoolcool,"[/color][/b] Yue nodded, slipping the card into the thin pocket of her leggings. She was beginning to appreciate Raudd’s disdain for all of this ‘magical bullshit.’ [b][color=#CE2B95]"Is this the part where you vanish into the aether after leaving a charming impression and imparting your sage knowledge?"[/color][/b]

D blinked at Yue once, then looked away. [b][color=#455420]”Hmm. Sage knowledge, huh.”[/color][/b] 

The pocket of D’s long coat buzzed. Her hand withdrew briefly, reappearing with a small flat rectangle that lit up when she pressed a button on the side. A button, from the looks of it- and an [i]old[/i] one. Her finger swiped and tapped across the front for a moment, eyes fixed on the illuminated screen. She sighed through her nose, stuffing the phone back in her coat. 

[b][color=#455420]”The only thing stupider than trusting a god is trusting a mage. That’s my sage knowledge.”[/color][/b] Her eyes met Yue’s. [b][color=#455420]”You understand?”[/color][/b]

That made her frown. Her whole world was gods and mages right now, and so far it seemed like they were all trying to be helpful…  Ulterior motives and overprotective hovering aside, they'd been helpful after a fashion at least. Yue [i]was[/i] growing increasingly disquieted with the number of ‘guardian angels' in her life that were hiding in the wings, truthfully enough. What was so goddamn important about her that warranted all this attention? Yue’s eyes flicked up at the woman, and she endured the vertigo for a long moment to make eye contact.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"I’m not to trust you then? Aren’t you one of those things?"[/color][/b] And Archer? Wasn’t he both? [b][color=#CE2B95]"Seems I’m finding out just about everyone in my life is some kind of God or mage. Can I not trust anyone then?"[/color][/b]

D gave her a conspiratorial grin. [b][color=#455420]”Didn’t I tell you already? I’m not either of those. I’m a [i]devil[/i].”[/color][/b] 

Her face sobered, and she looked away again. [b][color=#455420]”But yeah. You aren’t far from the right idea. Gods are narcissists, and mages are liars. And both of them have intentions for you, kiddo.”[/color][/b] D extended out her arm, holding her finger mere inches from the center of Yue’s brow. [b][color=#455420]”If it seems like everyone around you is one or the other, it’s safe to assume there’s a reason for that.”[/color][/b] 

She let her arm fall. [b][color=#455420]”And that reason won’t care about you personally.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Sage knowledge from the Devil who creeps on me while I sleep, offered out of the goodness of her heart, then?"[/color][/b] Yue smirked. [b][color=#CE2B95]"No intentions there, just being a good Samaritan?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#455420]"That's right."[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Hmm,"[/color][/b] muttered Yue with a note of doubt. She broke eye contact to keep from falling over again. D felt like every suspicious quest-giver in Final Odyssey. [b][color=#CE2B95]"I’ll keep that in mind."[/color][/b]

D gave Yue a long look, her mouth tightened into a thin line. [b][color=#455420]”You can think whatever you like, girl,”[/color][/b] she declared, shifting on the ball of her foot. Her phone buzzed in her pocket again. [b][color=#455420]”I’m not your boss, after all. Just passing through.”[/color][/b] 

D looked away, studying a patch of wall. Her ears were red, despite the cool morning. She crossed her arms, hands gripping her biceps. The heel of her shoe tapped the ground as D bounced her leg, agitated about something unclear. 

Finally she spun around, marching toward the opening of the alley. [b][color=#455420]”Well, this has been fun, but I gotta get going before the big guy catches on that I’m here,”[/color][/b] she announced, waving a gloved hand up to her shoulder to wave goodbye without looking in Yue’s direction. [b][color=#455420]”Stay safe, remember what I told you about- Oh!”[/color][/b] 

She spun back around and pointed at Yue. [b][color=#455420]”This doesn’t really matter, but don’t go flashing my business card at people. Your eyes only.”[/color][/b] 

[b][color=#CE2B95]”Right…,”[/color][/b] Yue mumbled, rolling the barrier medallion over in her palm. [b][color=#CE2B95]”Of course.”[/color][/b]

She felt like she was missing something. Like there was something she was supposed to say or ask, and it just wasn’t clicking. Instead, she shuffled awkwardly in place and tried to find somewhere productive to look that wasn’t directly at D.

[b][color=#455420]”Good, good!”[/color][/b] D cheered, whirling back around.  [b][color=#455420]”I’m glad you understand.”[/color][/b] 

Her leg moved to take another step forward, but hesitated. D stood near the entrance to the alley for a long while, back to Yue. She fidgeted with her hands, raising and lowering them, clenching and unclenching into fists. It seemed she wanted to say something else, perhaps, and her shoulders were tense with resisting the urge to turn back around.  

[b][color=#455420]”I-”[/color][/b] D began to speak, but cut herself off. She dug the toe of her shoe into the alley floor, replacing the polished leather sheen with dust and scuff marks. She huffed, eyes fixed on the ground, then clicked her tongue one last time and disappeared.

Yue stared at the the empty alley entrance where D had vanished for a long minute trying to process everything that had just happened. Her head tilted slowly, eyebrows raising as her expression went from alarm to regret to disappointment. She snapped her fingers rhythmically and blew out a disgruntled sigh as she turned in a slow circle to try and get her bearings.

She was still lost.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Maybe I should've asked for directions... or, you know, a ride out of here?"[/color][/b]