Listen to me, why is everything so hazy?

@Tiberius

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The lake was perhaps the second place near home that she enjoyed the most. Home was beautiful, but her heart wandered so long as her son was still missing. Restless legs carried her through the boundaries of Tsukiishi and back into the sleek ice-covered lake as snow drifted from the skies and along its slick surface.

Today there was a little more warmth than usual as the sun's heat reached the lake's surface, melting a thin layer which made it just a little tougher to keep her balance. On spindly legs she carried herself with less-than-usual grace as Reiko did have quite a bit of fun sliding around. 

Every now and then her legs would criss-cross, finding it impossible to keep steady.

Until finally she fell with her chin hitting the ice. Sliding around head first with chin to chest in contact with the ice, while the rest remained skyward. Ass up as you would - until finally her ass plopped down as soon as she stopped sliding.

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^^ Tiberius was not thankful for a lot of things, but his thicker frame and thicker fur were things he were thankful for. The tundra did not seem terrible, he was used to unfair terrain, yet he knew had he been thinner in both body and fur -- he'd have been less than impressed. He was not at all blending in the area, either, being as black and grey as he was -- though he supposed it didn't matter. What creatures could be here that could take him on one vs one and stand a chance? Tib puffed out a breath as a mixture of a chuckle and just breathing as he cast his fiery gaze around with a curled lip. Very little out here was going to be of use to him, he thought. Perhaps he should go back to where he ventured from Izumi.

He had turned his head towards the frozen lake with good timing, he mused, because he was right in time in his trek to see a wolf slide her way across the frozen surface with very little control. Tiberius halted in his movements, cocking his head to the side as he watched her. Criss-cross went her legs and Tiberius' ears cuffed forward as he snorted to himself, she was looking so fucking... strange but yet he was oddly amused. Eventually, her body gave way, and she slid to a stop with a plop of her bum. A brow arched as he moved forward to trail the frozen lake, though still remaining on the snowy bank as he approached. "Ya put on a right fuckin' show luv," Tiberius called in a rumble, his thick legs carrying him closer until he stopped, parallel to where she lay though still, he remained on the snow.

"Ain't so sure ya ta good on tha ice," even so, he supposed, she was amusing to watch. She, on the other hand, blended perfectly in with the surrounding. All delicate looking with her pale fur and petite looking body. What the fuck was someone like her doing out in these parts?
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Well - she wasn't embarrassed at first, but now as a stranger approached with a pleased curl on their lips she felt warm in the face. To goof off and slip and slide alone was one thing while she tried to re-gain her footing, to do so with someone watching, well, that was a whole other story.

"Ya put on a right fuckin' show luv," he said, 'show' were his exact words. And all she could do in response for now was look up at him with those blue eyes and beam him a lovely smile. It was that or whine in embarrassment, the later didn't seem to fit her current playful mood.
“It —” She began, trying once more to get her footing on the ice. Gingerly placing one paw, testing out her weight with the other, hoisting her body up off the semi-wet surface to test out her balance. “Is not normally this slippery.”

A giggle was cut off as a paw just flew out from underneath, catching a nice wet spot that sent her right-front foot flying out. With an awkward stance her tail flew out happily in a sway, legs spread out in an awkward spider-y like stance that only helped due to her centre of balance being lower than usual like this. “I believe — if I can get a hang of it, sliding around could be quite fun, no?”

Tossing a glance over to the stranger, she looked at him almost as if he knew the answer to that already... even if he was standing on snow instead of miraculously being all cool and sturdy on the slippery-er than usual lake.

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^^ Well, once she looked at him with those big blue eyes -- he definitely decided she fit with the aesthetic. She was just winter incarnate, wasn't she? Tiberius' tongue slid from behind his teeth and ran slowly over his marred lips in thought; she wasn't familiar to any part of him, so he was certain he hadn't known her from... before. Which somewhat infuriated him yet he reigned it in, not needing to feel the bubble of irritation start to creep up his spine. Tiberius was a lot of things and to some degree, he was a controlled man yet watching her fumble on the ice... well, he couldn't help the rumbling of his chuckle. "Ain't it?" He mused lowly, "ice seems... pretty fuckin' slippery given its nature, luv." Tiberius pointed out, though flicked an ear as he watched her. A determined little thing, wasn't she? He could respect that.

She giggled and his ears twitched; the sound so foreign. Tiberius had a feeling he wasn't quite used to the delicate sound of a giggle. The Crane's... they weren't the giggly type, even Lana -- nah, they were belly laughers. The woman had managed, somehow, to hold herself in a not so stable position with splayed legs, and he tucked his chin slightly as to hold in the amusement he felt. She had a point, he supposed. "By all means, doll, keep tryin'," Tib encouraged lowly, "ya interestin' ta watch." He realised how that sounded but really -- it was just -- he hadn't really... been on the ice in such a manner for... fun but even then, she was interesting to watch. Her determination and little giggle amused him in a way he hadn't anticipated.

Less aloof than Izumi had been and very different to the Cranes. Tiberius lowered his rump to the ground purposefully, a surging sting of cold racing up his spine as he did so yet he cocked his head to the side with his easy-going smirk cast her way. By all means, continue.
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Teeny tiny steps were dared to be taken as she carefully tested out the surface. Would claws help? She tried it out, shifting her toes on one foot and immediately could feel that too starting to give. The answer was no, claws would not help at all, so she kept to the usual stance of more pads than nails when walking upon any surface.
 
“Even more so when — OOP!” She squealed, trying to straighten herself out and be less of a squat looking spider on ice, all of her legs found themselves right under her. Stiffly standing with all her toes bunched up next to one another with her tail straight up trying to keep her from falling over again.

She froze, anticipating to fall and yet it felt like if she stood still - she would remain upright. 
 
“ especially when a little wet.” Her voice was softer than before, just above a whisper as if her own voice would just be enough to push her over. 

So the man wold watch huh? Watch her succeed more like it! Unless he grew bored before Reiko could get anywhere on this new determination to slide across the lake elegantly on her feet and not face.

Trying out a new form of movement, instead of lifting her paws she began to shuffle them softly. Walking, but slowly and never lifting a paw. “Try not to get too jealous when I succeed~” And progress was very slow; but for a moment she could have sworn she was getting the hang of it!!

— but no. One stride slipped into another and she managed to trip over her own feet, finding herself once more, face first right into the ice. 

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^^ Iddy biddy steps were what she had taken, and even then, it didn't seem to prove too useful to the white-shrouded woman. Tiberius' lip twitched at the corner in amusement as he watched her, the lack of tension in his shoulders noted. He hadn't been able to take his mind off of the Cranes -- specifically Lana since he had woken in the strange lands, so the distraction was welcome, if only for a moment. Eventually he would need to get back to... planning, what the fuck he was going to do now that it was unlikely he would be able to make it back to Gossamer. When it looked as if she were to fall again, Tiberius' muscles bunched up as if he'd been planning to lunge to catch her -- somehow -- but she remained standing, just barely, and he leaned back slightly in his seated position as he appraised her. "A little?" Tiberius mused, his low rumble matching her whisper.

The white wolf decided on another tactic, shuffling her paws just barely -- if not at all -- off of the ice. She spun her words so confidently, only to have them voided by her dropping to the ice once again, and Tiberius puffed out a laugh, "What was that, luv?" He rumbled with a quirked brow, an amused smirk twisting at his lips as he rose from his haunches to stand up once more. "Succeed, yeah? Ya sure, doll?" The man moved to the edge of the snow bank and stepped one thick paw upon the ice, testing it. It clearly could withstand at least some form of a beating -- even if she were a mere whisp of a wolf, she had face-planted it many times -- which led Tiberius to believe the ice was definitely thick. "Ya jus' gotta ask if ya want 'elp gettin' back ta normal ground," he couldn't help but tease her; she had been both endearing and amusing to the man thus far.

Plus... what did it hurt, he supposed? She was no Crane, she was no one of the Dominion -- she certainly wasn't that golden bitch back in the forest, so she wasn't automatically unworthy of his own version of kindness. A kindness that came with a cost, of course -- that being his incapability of not teasing as he offered it.
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In her short experience Reiko hadn't came into contact with "wet ice" before (but Noki has hurdur). Most place she visited lacked enough snow and ice to make any kind of difference, while on the other hand, it was too cold for any ice to melt at all even during the Northern summer days. So this was all new to the young woman - and still with youth in her to live, curiosity simply had the best of her.

“In time!” She playfully defended her previous statement - not letting the sudden fall deter that determination to find grace in this type of situation. Soon she would be the ice queen, the empress of snow - and if she could not easily walk across the slippery surface of ice, how could she call herself that?

Almost immediately after this offer, well his offer for her to ask him for assistance - keeping her chin on the ice and propelling herself forward with her hind legs (it somehow felt easier to do with two legs and letting her front slide instead of trying to balance with all four feet on the ice). Sliding her way where he stood and finding solid ground on the snow with him.

He was tall - he must have been taller than Ira... had to be the tallest wolf she had seen here on Canis so far (well there was Stjor but she only got to see him from a distance). Tilting her head up to talk to the man, she smiled with a prideful glint in her eyes. “I have no trouble finding solid ground, sir.” With a wave of her tail, she was off again. Running and leaping back onto the ice. At first sliding successfully on all fours just to plot her bum down after a while to make sure she would not find her face down on the ice again. 

Sliding around on the ice was incredibly fun, especially as she spun around while sitting on the ice. “They call them 'sea legs' so I am trying to find my own~ Perhaps once I get accustomed to it, I could show you the grace of ice walking~” Even now she was slowly getting the hang of it.

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^^In time, she said, and Tiberius really had to give it to her -- she remained positive on her ice escapades. More than most would be, he supposed. He was a bit of a stubborn fucker himself in some situations, the ones where he could actually be fucked to give a shit, of course. He watched her with fiery depths as she used the situation to her advantage and used her hind legs to push herself forward on the ice with her chin still flush against the frozen water. He blinked, amused and somewhat impressed, as she made her way over to the snow bank he sat on with a lot less failure than her first attempts. As she got closer, it was easier to tell that she was every bit as little as she had looked, even from the distance. Little, white and with elegant features surrounding big blue eyes.

Tiberius swallowed thickly as he tilted his head down to match the tilt of her own, her words making his ears twitch as fire met ice. Sir. His lip quirked at the sides as he found the title almost appealing, but he watched as she waved her tail and was off again -- unable to sit still like a vibrant pup. "I dunno, doll, ya looked ta 'ave sum trouble 'fore," he reasoned with a teasing tone in his raspy vocals. She certainly was an unusual thing, he found, as he watched her propel herself across the ice with very little care. The Dominion... they were fun, but they were serious machines with creatures more likely to slit your throat than guide you along the ice. He couldn't imagine any of the Crane's apart from potentially Lana engaging in the acts that the white-wolf was. Tiberius, though used to the ways of the Dominion, found that he was not disliking the vibrance of the woman.

She spoke again, and he huffed out a laugh as he tilted his head, his eyes following her movements with casual amusement. "Oh yea?" he mused, "ya gonna teach me?" Tiberius' ears flicked as he continued, "ya plan ta become a pro in a few minutes, or ya plannin' ta keep me around 'till ya do?" Tiberius wasn't a flirter. He hadn't ever had the time; women had always been a pain. Lana, Vala, Minerva, the golden bitch -- all they had ever done was proven to be difficult, and he very rarely understood them but aside that, he had always been training, patrolling, keeping himself in shape. A busy schedule -- one that hadn't been lenient in having a wandering eye. Still, he couldn't help but find himself tilting on the edge of playful flirtation to the vibrant ice-wolf.

He was amused by her, thank you.
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She'd be lying if she said there was no inclination to weave around under his legs as there was just so much space for her to do so. He was tall and dark, warm to the look with all his ash and fire that colours his eyes. She was ice and cold with a blanket of snow and ice for eyes, small and fragile in comparison to the thick and strong looking man.

And yet, she had no ounce of fear of him. He seemed friendly enough without it coming off as a lie - unless he was a really good liar and she was just oblivious to it all. So when she bounded off to play on the ice one more, sliding around and once again trying to stand - this time with a little more success now that she had more of an understanding to keep her centre go gravity low...

With a couple of steps to turn and face the man on the snowbank, steps steady, careful, cautious as she could still find them sliding just ever so slightly. But still she remained standing this time, she found by bending her back legs ever so slightly, it kept her from immediately falling over face forward. The success of turning around made her tail flicker happily behind.
 
“Eh? What do you think? Not quite professional but on the way there.” She said proudly, tossing the tease right back at the male with the little victory feeding that pride of hers. “I would believe it if your choice, sir. I have a group forming not to far from here if you would like to see how well I can walk on ice in time~”

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^^He was loath to allow his gaze to shift from her movements, unwilling to miss whatever weird thing she may do next -- but also he was somewhat invested in her victory. Or failure, of course, as there was still room but... Tiberius supposed, with enough determination, anyone could succeed. Or not, he thought dryly, some creatures were just destined to fail no matter their efforts. This Iceling made him think that she was not one of them, though. His ears cuffed forward as he turned on the ice with a couple steps to face him, his chin tilting up as he kept his gaze unwavering and upon her, a brow arched in appraisal. He noted the wag of her tail as she remained upright after her movements, his lip curling slightly at the edges. Almost endearing, her childish glee of success.

Her proud words had him somewhat agreeing -- she still had some practising, but it wasn't half bad. "Not too shabby, luv," he mused in agreement, his fiery gaze trailing down the white of her legs to watch her paws to see if they slid even a fraction. His attention was snagged moments after at her latter words, and Tiberius drew his head back up and sat back with a roll of his shoulders as he let her words mill about in his head. A group was forming with her in their ranks, she said, and Tiberius eyed her. "Well, if ya tell me what ya group is about, maybe I'll stick around ta see ya prove ya success in full," he hedged lowly, a thump of his tail sending the not quite settled layer of snow to lift and spiral back down around it.

Tiberius didn't want to pledge his loyalty to wolves who did not deserve it -- he didn't want wolves like those of his natal pack. Good for nothing pieces of shit who longed to change him, who looked down upon him because he didn't fit their ideals of rainbow and sunshine. His brother had pushed him time and time again despite Tiberius' words of warning, of requests to be left alone and still, even once he poked the bear one too many times, the blue-eyed boy had still been looked at as if the sun would shine out of his daft ass. His sister? Fuck, she had been in a competition from the start with Tiberius, with Tiberius unaware that there had even been one -- and she had stopped at nothing to try and ostracize him. In the end, even his mother had looked upon him with uncertainity and nerves, unsure what to do with the boy who was nothing like his litter. She gazed upon him with unseeing eyes of his siblings antics and continued to play favourites.

The man would not join the ranks of another Pack who would seek to change him instead of utilize him to his full extent, who wouldn't accept him for who he was. The Dominion had been a lifesaver for the boy, they had trained him and accepted him for who he was, for his darkness included. Would the Iceling and her wolves accept him for who he was, not afraid of the darkness he could harness when he needed to? His tongue slid across his scarred lips as he waited, watching the vibrant woman with a stare that did not wander.
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With the smallest praise being offered by the stranger, her tail swayed even further. Almost enough to knock her off balance as she fixed herself once more before toppling over with feet flying out everywhere again... she knew the feeling of impending doom and slowed down the rhythm in her rump just in time to keep her standing still.

Hmmm to talk about the group - she had a vague know what she wanted, having to talk about it more and more now that they were settled and gaining just a little more attention over time. Soon enough they would have to all come to an agreement - though, already she was certain they all wanted the same thing after all this time travelling together. “A home~” She said simply to start.
 
“A kingdom for weary travellers to stop and refuel before finding their perfect home if we aren't what they are looking for. A place for those to find acceptance where it was difficult to do so before.” Purposely she left out her rank for now, Reiko was't the type to wave around her rank above others anyway. For she may be an Empress and her children Kings and Queens - but most of all she was a mother, a friend, and hopefully a wife once more. The ranks were nothing but words, her duty came above it all no matter the title.

“Otherwise, you know where to find me should you find yourself near again.” After all, she was not fishing for him to join. It was an invitation and nothing more.

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^^It was the gentle wag of her tail after his words that made Tiberius want to give her more yet refrained; the fuck did he need to say more for? It was only a tail wag. He attempted to not be so amused by the fact she almost sent herself off kilter with the sway of her tail, though it was a faint chuckle that escaped between his teeth as he rolled his shoulders to shrug it off. She took her almost-stumble in a stride and once again, he was slightly impressed with her ability to stay unbothered and unaffected by rage at her antics. A strange creature indeed, he thought to himself. The Iceling was doing better than he would be, though, he supposed. Tiberius was not quite made for the graceful art of Ice Sliding, though he thought that perhaps the large circumference of his paws may help him balance his weight a bit more than most. Or fuck him right up.

A home was her first two words, and Tiberius' gaze narrowed upon her, calculative and appraising. A home could mean many things, he thought, and he had only held one in his time. The first "home" and been his own personal hell, the second? It had been temporary, it seemed, as he woke up in a foreign land with no conceivable way home. Perhaps for the best, he thought darkly -- though he was unhappy with his possession, his charge being in a land so far from himself. Where the little Crane was, he had no idea, but he tried not to linger on the thought for too long, as a rage dared to brew. Could the Icelings idea of home line up with his own?

He needn't wait too long to find out, as the blue-eyed woman continued on with a brief break down on the ideals in which the little group would stand for. A sanctuary in the form of a Kingdom for the lost, the tired and the in need. A place for acceptance, she said, and Tiberius shuffled on his haunches as he straightened his back in thought. "I've killed before," he rumbled, "I figh', an' I defend tha wolves in my charge, in tha ranks m'part of. I defend tha one's who can't defend themselves, Iceling." Tiberius figured he'd better get his basics out the way before he even attempted to see if he could fit in, because without her knowing these parts, what good was starting something that would not end up finished in the way he would prefer?

"an' I figh' besides tha wolves who can," he added as he watched her, the offer in the air, though he figured it was likely to be rescinded once she swallowed his words. "I'm useful fer survival, fer defense." He had found Lana when she had been recently weaned from her mother's teats as a young boy, and he had stood, facing two grown men who wanted to snag her themselves, telling them that she was his. That they'd have to get through him to get to the crying kid. He'd taken her to the Dominion, and he had raised her, protected her and taught her. Tiberius looked after the wolves who needed him to, but he wasn't above drowning the world in blood to protect them, neither. "I ain't lookin' ta deceive ya and ya people, makin' it about ta be like am full of softness an' sunshine. But I ain't about needless violence, neither." He shrugged his thick shoulders, laying it all out on the table to see whether the offer would still be in the air between fire and ice.

He eyed her, almost guardedly, with the expectancy of rejection. Not many would take the time to look past Tiberius' exterior or rough n tumble way of living, to see that he was useful beyond the muscle of his frame and the skill of his body. They thought of violence and defense and shied away, thinking that life didn't need such things, so why would they need him? He knew the world out there and knew that despite its beauty and kindness, there was darkness and cruelty. He at least knew he could help defend the wolves he cared for from such things until his dying breath.^^

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She paused.

Waiting for his decision whether he would come to meet the others or if they would simply be distant friends to meet another day. Both seemed fair to her. Not one pack would be perfect for everyone, and so she half-expected for him to reject their ideals and move on to find somewhere else. There was no rush as she eyed him patiently with round blues, a gentle curve of her pale lips just pensively standing there to listen to his thoughts.

And he spoke eventually, honestly. His first words struck her in the chest, that smile fading ever so lightly but still she waited for him to explain further. Even the kindest of souls had killed before. There had to be a reason for it. As he continued, she listened quietly. Hanging onto his words and let her gaze and expression soften with each passing moment. Though the smile did not return, there was still a certain warmth in those blues.
 
“Your honesty is appreciated.” With cautious steps she approached. Feeling around on the ice as she stepped slowly forward with a little more grace than before. “If I can be honest, we have women and children with no guards to comfort my worries of our safety.” If he was comfortable with being honest of who he is, she would too with their circumstances. Stark didn't seem like the fighting type and so she could never ask him to protect them while she would be away to find Haruki. 
 
“Provided you are honest and only fight or kill to protect, I have no quarrels with your past or beliefs.” So long as he didn't live for trouble and bring it home for them. As she approached the snow bank once more, eyes reaching up to keep her attention on the man, she smiles once more. “We are in need of someone with your skil-” and like that, she was cut off as the balance was lost once more.

Slamming back down in mid sentence with all legs across the ice. So much for getting a hang of it huh?

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^^He found that he didn't like the loss of her smile, nor being the one to cause its disappearance, yet he knew it needed to be said. That she needed to hear just who she was offering a home to. Tiberius was not a creature of deception; he had no time for the games of manipulation. He gave it how it was and if someone didn't like it, they could fuck off. She hadn't, though, telling him that she appreciated his honesty despite the fact he thought that she was likely a bit wary of him, now. Tiberius showed nothing of his momentary anxiety as he watched her, his back straight and his eyes still unwavering, despite the inner urge to look away from her now that the smile did not grace her elegant features.

Tiberius eyed her as she stepped forward, both making sure she was not to fall but also keeping an eye should she fall because fuck, it was amusing to see her stumble on the ice with all of that determinedness of hers. Again she spoke, this time her own honesty, and Tiberius' brows pulled together as he drank in her words. Defenceless women with young children? What kind of group had no defense? His shoulders tightened, and he worked his jaw, not at all liking the idea, despite not knowing any of them. It was in his bones to protect just as much as it was to fuck shit up, and it didn't sit well with him to hear the Icelings words. He could not judge her for it, he supposed, every Pack started somewhere with little to nothing -- but still, it left a bad taste in his mouth.

So long as he was honest about his intent and only killed to protect, there was no issue, she said. Tiberius eyed her silently, letting his orange gaze remain upon her in thought. She wasn't running the opposite way, instead she still slowly approached on the ice. Only -- both her words and standing got fucked by her losing her balance and down she went, when she was oh so close to the snow bank, her body once more at one with the ice. Tiberius could not help but laugh, full bellied and throaty, as he peered at her. "Think ya need a lil' more practice, luv," he mused as he leaned down to where she lay, not far from his paws. "Gettin' a bit too personal wit' tha ice, doll." He rumbled as he nosed at her paw to try and urge her to stand once again and once she did, he'd look to offer himself as leverage should she want a break from the ice.

"Packs all start from somewhere, darlin'. I ain't judgin' ya shit fer nothin'," he shrugged his shoulders as he pulled his face away from the white silken paws though, still, kept his orange gaze upon her. "As long as ya ain't gonn' look ta change me. I can't be more than who I am," he'd not suffer through that again. Not even for a place that could be an almost.

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So much for looking cool and elegant like the Empress her parents would have loved for her to be. Instead she was once again on the ground with her face in the ice and snow. Honestly, her chin was starting to hurt after these constant falls. At least he was enjoying himself. As the man laughed so did she, gentler as it was starting to hurt a little with one fall after another but still, she found the same humour in it all as he did.

“I think so too~” Definitely more practice than just a day or so. With a little nudge from the man, she graciously accepted his offer and leaned a little on him in order to find her footing once more. This time hobbling over to the ice with the silent decision that "this was enough for one day". She was wet with the lightly melted ice all along her belly and sides wherever she had fallen, the chill of winter's air already touching at the tender skin underneath.
 
“No change.” She said softly with a little giggle of her own, shaking her head to disagree with the thought of ever changing anyone. “Bettering oneself but never changing. We all have skills and lessons to learn, to hone in on and become a better version of who we were before.”

Once feeling solid ground again, putting the ice and sliding behind her for the rest of today at least. The young woman bounded on small, elongated legs, turning around to face the man once more. “My name is Reiko Izuka,” She waited for him to introduce himself first before continuing. “Come! I will show you our home~” Excited, she bounced her way to his side to encourage him to move along with her. They had much to see and plenty of faces to meet!

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