"Wait!"
Yunmei called out as she rushed her steps behind Hang.
"Where are we going?"
"You said find her," Hang replied with a blank look on his face.
"I didn't say that! I only said a little! And how do you even know where to go?"
Hang turned corners, following a small path that had little to no people along it. Yunmei struggled to keep up, trying her best to follow in-step.
"I looked back."
"Back from where?! We were seeing the same things, you know!"
"Every motion leaves a trace," Hang replied, his steps heavy with intent. "I just look at them from before."
"Argh, at least explain it better!"
The pair moved from street to street, alleyway to alleyway, before arriving in the open.
"This is..." Yunmei observed, catching her breath from the brisk walk. "Exalting Sanctum? You knew how to come here?"
"I followed the trail," Hang said, his brown eye again brighter than the dimmer blue eye. His eyes rake the surroundings, watching past motions move.
He watched quietly, footsteps of echoes moving forward. Words that were spoken echoing around him—a patient reconstruction of what had existed.
"The child went here," Hang commented, moving away from where he stood towards a random direction.
His brown eye dimmed, his blue eye brightened. The world returned to normal.
"You're doing something, but I really can't tell," Yunmei sighed outwardly, deciding to follow along with the weirdness that had just consumed her day. "At least answer me when you're doing something. You just stand there and look around when I'm talking!"
"Mm," Hang hummed, acknowledging her complaint.
The duo went up stairs, behind buildings, before arriving at a door.
"A door?" Yunmei questioned, looking around. "Is this where Lady Bailu is?"
Hang merely knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
"The child is in here," Hang bluntly said. "The dragon one."
A crash came from inside the building, before footsteps angrily approached the door. A muffled, 'Lady Bailu' was heard from inside the building before the door was opened.
Looking down, Hang stood knee to head with a young girl mint green and yellow eyes. She had light purple knee-length hair tied into two low braids, with long bangs that almost reach her eyes.
She seemed to be wearing a sweater dress, with a white and indigo jacket over it, a gourd tied to her hip with red ribbon. The small dragon horn and purple dragon tail was still present on her appearance.
"I am not a child!"
Hang looked down towards her, holding his tongue. He knew better than to assume their age based off height but...
"This one is a child. Much shorter than the Fu Xuan lady."
"You can't do this every time!!" Yunmei cried out sadly, grabbing Hang's head and attempting to pull him downward. "Vidyadhara species tend to live longer, so their height doesn't constitute their age!"
Hang pulled Yunmei off his head to look at Bailu.
"Old?" He questioned, his eyes narrowing toward her.
"You shouldn't ask a young lady her age!" Bailu retorts, stamping her foot into the ground like a child.
"Then you must be unable to grow."
Attempting to calm the growing situation, Yunmei clamped her hand over Hang's mouth. "Apologies... Lady Bailu. This man is a tourist..."
"A tourist you say..?" Bailu responded, her tail moving in front of her as she rubbed her hands sneakily. "I'll forgive him if he buys me food!"
"Stay mad," Hang bluntly said, moving Yunmei's clamped hand off his mouth with some effort. "I'm penniless."
"I'll pay!" Yunmei let out an outburst quickly, raising her hand. "I'll pay for his forgiveness!"
"Mmm... no! It has to come from him!" Bailu retorted, pouting. "Although I won't say no to free food!"
Yunmei sighed dramatically. "I suppose paying for Lady Bailu is a honor in itself..."
Hang looked towards Yunmei as her ears drooped down. "Why do you insist on covering expenses for me?"
She looked up, her eyes meeting his heterochromatic ones.
"Why? Hmm..."
She shrugged, giving a cheeky smile.
"So that I can get free favors later. I have a gut feeling you'll be a good person to know!"
"So do I get food?" Bailu asked, looking towards Yunmei.
"Very well, Lady Bailu. I'll treat you to some food. What would you like—"
"Berrypheasant skewers!"
Hang looked around at the nearby shops and stalls, attempting to find what Bailu was speaking of. "Plants?"
Bailu looked over to Hang. "What?! How did you figure out they were vegetarian? I only just figured out they were sweet plants, not sweet meat!"
Hang tilted his head, looking up in a contemplative manner. "Mm. Instinct."
The trio walked through the backstreets, before arriving at a nearby stall. Yunmei took Bailu to order the skewers, while Hang stood around at the back.
He hadn't been able to take the time to look around, but he finally got a good look. A large tree towered over the plaza from a distance. Most buildings were built at a minimum, two stories tall. Plenty of plants and lights decorated the cobblestones.
"We're back," Yunmei called out, walking back to Hang with Bailu beside her, already taking a bite out of her skewer. "I bought Lady Bailu some food."
"You're turning her in?"
"Why do you act as if she's a criminal?"
"She's a child and being chased."
"Not a child," Bailu retorted, her cheeks stuffed with berrypheasant. "But I should return soon! I got what I wanted."
Turning to Yunmei, Bailu gave a quick grin. "Thanks for the food, Yunmei!"
Yunmei bowed politely. "It was my honor, Lady Bailu."
The pair watched as Bailu bounded off into the distance, presumably to go find Cloud Knights to take her back.
"She knows you?"
Yunmei shook her head. "She asked, and I gave it to her. You could have given your name, too."
"Unnecessary."
A small laugh left Yunmei. "I suppose I can't change you in a day, huh?"
"Mm."
"Well then, let's go ahead and—"
The ground suddenly shook. Lights flickered, and people started screaming.
Hang looked around. It seemed that his hunch had come true—something bad was bound to happen soon... and it had just started.