Angelo & Ming

Ming Xiao says, "Oh."

Ming slowly turns around.
(Ming Xiao)

Angelo undresses. Rather quickly, actually, he excitedly throws his clothes out, before the rickety sound of metal against itself echoes through the room. He did not get fully naked, to be honest-- He was still covered in the undershirt and underpants meant to keep his skin safe from direct contact with the heavy Mythril, but...

... After just a few minutes, he is fully dressed in an armor clad in gold. With clothpieces thrown to put some colors to the plate itself and hide the creating marks, as well as mask the true colors of the ore underneath, he raises the hood.

And then, rising a mask-- Simple, without a single decoration in sight, Angelo says two simple words, the holy aura echoing from his form, resonating on the very pieces of armor that he dressed.

It was a makeshift version of his armor, but it made clear what he wanted. What he desired to do so badly. His voice resonates with newfound purity. "Remember I told you that I just needed to fix something up before I did what you requested? Before I started punishing again those from the darkness?"

Angelo smiled, even though it appeared only briefly before the mask covers his face, muffling it barely. It's still his voice, but just so barely recognizable it's just hard knowing it can be him in any hypothesis. "I think I can do it now!" He excitedly completes the sentence.
(Angelo Sanguinis)

Throughout his undressing and redressing again, Ming Xiao kept her back on Angelo over respect for his privacy-- though she turns around once he starts speaking again, her eyebrows raising slightly. To a woman who's used to keeping that 'mask of serenity' at all times, this was actually a pretty big change in expression.. one that would sadly go over Angelo's head.

"You look.." she started to say, but interrupted herself, as nothing she could say would truly make it justice. At the very least, it's safe to say that she was relieved someone was taking matters seriously-- which, after the hell of a day she's had, would make the Qilin rush towards Angelo and wrap her arms around him, pulling the man closer to a tight hug.

Weird. Emotional outbursts. It made her chuckle sheepishly as she let go of the man, running a hand through her long hair.

I mean.. my apologies. But.. I would really appreciate the assistance. It's been a bad day."

A genuine smile spread across her lips, which nearly radiated the relief she felt from his words.
(Ming Xiao)


(From behind the door:)

Eirene knocks on door.
(Eirene)

That was surprising! He never expected the ever-serene, but ever-friendly Qilin would actually surprise him with a hug. And a tight one at that, a demonstration of friendship that he actually sorely needed. A shame the heavy armor put an obstacle to any form of body contact between them both.

But the warmth emitted by his holy aura was there, after all. Where his flesh wasn't to provide comfort and instead there was solid mythril, the holy light that ran through the yellow metal provided an equally comforting sensation at the very least.

A hand clad in mythril rose to pat her head slightly, with a soft chuckle coming from the blind man, his gaze still resolute forwards. The mask certainly made it look way more threatening than it actually was! Of course, not by staying under it.

When she let go, he let out another chuckle almost along with hers.

"Don't worry. I wanted to tell someone about this-- And you pretty much knew it already. Also... I really trust you, so. This can't be said to anyone! I'm going to go undercover, or something... Still need to figure out a name." He said, nodding briefly.
(Angelo Sanguinis)

"I don't know much about names.. you're more than welcome to join me, however, if you want" she knows that he couldn't see the smile that came across her lips, so she placed a hand on his shoulder softly to show a token of her friendship.

"I'm rebuilding my home. It'll be called Huangzhou, to the west of here-- I guess I just got tired of everyone standing by and accepting demons, azraelites, chaos magi, sin magi all over again."

A chuckle came out of her lips, though it had no joy. It's evident that the Qilin was getting tired of what felt like hammering her head against a wall, repeatedly, for nearly twenty years.
(Ming Xiao)

The faint smile Angelo always maintained was still present under the mask, if not wider. To receive the appreciation that his efforts were finally resulting somewhere, Angelo couldn't help but to smile.

Both for his own sake... And for hers. It was obviously totally invisible, as was his expression. Even the silvery eyes seemed to be disguised by it, just obfuscated by the poor positioning of the mask for now.

"I still need to fix the armor up. I'm going to... Kidnap Vyse, as you requested. If he comes willingly, better that way. Else... I'll make sure he will come." A shake of his head, before a sigh was sent-- The wind bouncing through the insides of the mask. "He might be the first person to come to your new place! If he's willing, obviously. I'll stay there, but..."

His head turned slightly towards the hand on his shoulder, and if he could see, his eyes would definitely be turned towards those. His head tilted slightly lower and towards the same direction her hand was on, and then...

A deep breath. "I can stay there occasionally, but I've been tired of demons, azraelites, chaos magi and sin magi. I'll take my own measures against those, and this..." His hand lowered to grab upon the yellow tabard, still bearing no symbol. "This is my way of dealing with it. While you'll have my full support, Angelo Sanguinis will remain neutral, or closer to Crafthold."

And then, he rose a hand to pat at her head slightly, thumb stroking at her forehead. "But... Lionheart will stay by your side. Whenever needed." He said, voice seeking a comforting tone to speak to the girl. It wasn't all bad news-- He had found a name, and he would support her. Disguised, but he would.

"Lionheart is a good name, isn't it?" He finished off, voice transitioning to a slightly more comedic tone.
(Angelo Sanguinis)

"As good a name as it could be, dear" she didn't seem entirely put off by the notion that Angelo as a person would remain neutral-- the fact that she would receive his support already spoke louder than most of the people she's seen today.

She had no idea why so many people were willing to compromise with chaos magi. It's like no one's learned anything with history.

She patted the man's armored shoulder with a nod.

"That's all I can ask for-- your support. As for Vyse.. leave him alone for now. Dan Karadin has sent me a letter apologizing and trying to make peace, which.. I will not take, I don't trust a traitor's word, but I won't aggravate the situation. Not yet. Not now."

She made a slight pause, with a sigh.

"Between the Belial cultists, Sin and Chaos running rampant across the island, and people who I once trusted willing to compromise, I just.. need some time. Bhaaldraithe doesn't concern me at the moment."
(Ming Xiao)

Angelo furrowed down his eyebrows, but this wasn't visible-- Until he rose a hand to his head, taking off the mask, and lowering the hood. The mask was thrown back onto his backpack, the plain white hidden among the ores, carefully positioned so it would never be revealed.

The blind one liked to live dangerously. Taking an book on Order to wherever he goes, taking a full disguise that could be accusatory after he does the first thing he could-- And he seemed willing to do even more by the day. To live among the enemies, as one of them, to easily put them down.

His voice was not muffled anymore, even if it still seemed to be accompanied by a small resonation from a modification to his own holy aura. A soothing repetition of his own voice, or at least it seemed like it. "He sent you specifically a letter. Iffy. But I'll do as you say-- I'll see if I can traverse to Bhaaldrathe, and gather information, at least... That's what I do mostly nowadays."

"People in Crafthold talk. A lot." He said, a small smirk widening upon his expression. "I know most of what they're doing, but..."

His voice took another step down, as the holy aura that illuminated the room was taken down, returning it to having only the windows as sources of light, and poor ones at that-- It was night, after all.

"... If you need anything, I'll do my best to help, Ming. You'll still come around every now and then, yes? I need to know how to reach you-- Or ther other way around."
(Angelo Sanguinis)

"Thank you, dear" she put a hand tight against her chest, making a courteous bow to what, to her, now looked like some sort of holy warrior of legend-- it was like somebody else entirely. She knew that Angelo was powerful when they fought against Willow together, but to see his demeanor like that even inspired her some.

It made her feel that, perhaps, not everything was lost.

"I'll try to still come, yes. If things don't take a turn for the worse, as they.. seem to be" she ended that on a slightly bitter tone, although it seems she preferred not to elaborate on the subject.

"Huangzhou will be to the west of here-- from Vindicia's arena, just keep heading west. You'll eventually come across it, near the beach."
(Ming Xiao)

"Everything is going to be okay. Trust me, I never lied in my life, and I ain't going to start now." He said, his smile spreading upon his face as he started taking off pieces of the armor. He needed to take it off sometime, after all.

"You're going to stay here for the night, yes? Or do you already have something set up over there? I can give you resources-- Mostly stone. Just give me the word, Ming. I don't provide for Crafthold only, and..." As he started wrapping the cape around, before shoving it back onto his backpack, as disguised as a cape with metal shoulder plates could be.

"I'd even help you for free. How's that, yeah? I don't do that for the people in Crafthold." He said, letting out a faint chuckle as he organized the stuff on his backpack, concealing everything he could conceal.
(Angelo Sanguinis)

"Yeah. I guess it'll be what it'll be" she says with a brief smile to the man, leaning on the wall besíde them and lowering her gaze a bit. "As I told Ovan today.. I may lose, I may die.. but at least I will do so uncorrupted, and when I look back, it'll be with pride, not shame."

She sighs deeply, not reassuring herself but at least steeling her resolve as her gaze rose to the blind man's eyes again.

"Though I hope it'll not come to that, hm?"

She gave him a brief smile, squeezing a bit his armored shoulder.

"Some people have been giving donations to Huangzhou-- anything will be greatly appreciated, Angelo. Really, it helps more than you know."
(Ming Xiao)

Angelo was luckily just getting done with organizing stuff at his backpack. With her agreement, he pulls out a hefty bag filled with ores. And then just sets it upon the floor, right by her. "The most diverse things. Some taken directly from Crafthold's cave network. From the jaw of your enemies-- Directly into your hands. No Nyeshk, unfortunately... But it's still something."

Angelo nodded in the direction of Ming, finally done with the organizing of his things for the night. The smile, unfortunately, goes over his head, impaired by his defective eyesight, but the slight squeeze to his armored shoulder doesn't.

A smile is sent back to her! "It's a good way to live, at least. Even if you die... You'll die proud of what you did. That's what I intend to make. Humans are gifted with magic to make a difference upon the world, aren't we?"

"I will make a difference. One way, or another." He said, nodding again on her direction, before his hand, now without gauntlets, rose to rub a thumb at her cheek for a few instants, before finishing with a slight pinch. "You aren't going to get harmed, if I have any say on it. Now..." He said, hand going towards his armored shoulder.

"I need to take off the rest of the armor. Then, I'll give you a hug without the armor-- People say I hug great!" He finished off with a slight chuckle.
(Angelo Sanguinis)

A brief chuckle came out, she couldn't help herself with the lighthearted way the blind man had.

"Sadly, I wear armor of my own" she added, squeezing his shoullder slightly once more, then lowering the hand so that he could actually begin to remove the armor. "Nevertheless, it's good to have someone I can count on."

Slowly, she turned around to give him privacy-- the same as before, for when he had to undress to put on his armor.

"Not looking! You can take off the armor now."
(Ming Xiao)

He let out a chuckle and then spoke in agreeance to her. "I'll take your word for it!" He said, jokingly.

Angelo undressed from the armor in the same speed as before, although slightly faster this time around. In no more than a few moments, he was back to his ordinary clothes, with nude feet tapping upon the ground, feeling the rug underneath.

"Now, you wear armor of your own, but! A hug from a friend is still a hug from a friend. It ain't fair if I go sleep without leaving you with one, yes?" He said, moving towards the woman and embracing her in a hug as tight as the one she embraced him just a few hours earlier.

"You seemed to be needing hugs. I give those away for free, too."
(Angelo Sanguinis)

"Yeah, trust me, I really am" the woman mutters as she wraps her arms around Angelo, pulling him closer to hug him tightly-- separated by the layers of steel which makes for her worn samurai armor. She actually goes as far as leaning her head on his shoulder, though this one is particularly brief, just enough for her to recover her composure and rise gain.

"Thank you, Angelo.. for everything."
(Ming Xiao)