Laughing a little as Peter talks about sprouting horns, Sophia says, “Well, that’s reassuring.” While most of the youma she has faced didn't look like demons, she understands the point. She kind of knew he wasn’t a youma in disguise, but it was nice to hear that all the same. This confirmation that they wouldn’t be coming to blows puts her mind more at ease around him.

"Just Peter then." There was a certain equality that was established by everyone using their first names, which she enjoyed. She didn't really enjoy being treated like her age anymore. It felt belittling of every time she risked her life. However, there wasn't too much she could do about that, so she tolerated it when it occurred.

Sophia looks between Izumi and Peter, who seem to be ordering her to eat like her parents. There was no escaping their observant eyes. Grabbing her utensil again, she finally actually eats something, but not nearly as quickly as Peter. She's not even sure how someone could consume food at that rate.

“I’m going to guess Quebec,” Sophia says to Peter. It was a safe guess. Quebec was predominantly French Canadian, and that would explain his fluency. “But I’m not as good as reading people as you seem to be.” He somehow managed to figure out Izumi could feel corruption. She’s not sure how he could pick up on something like that. However, it did seem like some of priestesses and mikos could if Rei Hino was anything to go off of. So maybe he assumed based on her profession? “If you don’t mind me asking, how much have you figured out about me?”

Izumi smiled to herself at the look. That he decided to go with one as opposed to anything turely threatening meant he was finding his own balance in her presence. “If you acknowledge the corruption in your soul and do not attempt to rid yourself of it, your accepting that corruption and the desire to be corrupted.” She didn’t say evil, hell she purposefully side stepped the word. That was a fighting word. She wanted to talk to him, see if there wasn’t anything- as a Miko- she could assist him with… One thing her grandfather had always said though… “My Grandfather says that the youma from the past always found footholds in the corruption and desires of men and women… and that by accepting that evil, we give up a part of ourselves to that evil so that sometimes it is hard to think of a life not corrupted.”

She toyed with her teacup by running a fingertip along the rim. Most of her tea was long gone, such is the habit of nervous- needing a moment to gather thoughts- drinking. Soon she’d be able to read the tea leaves at the bottom. She smiled softly as she listened to him ask not to use honorifics, indeed, she let Sophia go first before addressing them both, in her usual manner.

“The lack of honorifics, Emile-sama, would suggest a level of intimacy that no young woman should use so informally. Sophia-chan is a lovely young woman but you are far too old for her to be talking to you in such an informal way. Even if it is something you despise~ We use honorifics in our society to show respect to our different relationships. From your bearing I can only assume you have lived here long enough to know that.” There was yet another, gentle scolding. Either Izumi had absolutely no fear of him (which, truth be told, she didn’t) or she was just that motherly to draw the lines and dare people to cross them. And, while she said it to Peter, her eyes waited, patiently until they met Sophia’s. Bless her heart, but Izumi wasn’t going to let her potentially fall in with someone who openly says he was spiritually corrupted… There were a lot of things that could of driven that corruption- and with his… er… interests in suggesting a more initmiate relationship by lack of honorifics, Izumi was going to make sure Emile-sama didn’t leave with Sophia’s hand tucked into the crook of his elbow.

She slipped back into silence and let their conversation flow back to being about them and not her little motherly comments. Sophia had such a warm, inviting energy too her. Deeper then even Izumi had originally thought. And truthfully, Emile-sama did sort of drag her attention away… but Sophia had a quiet aura to her. And Somewhere, Izumi had a deep need to protect her. Not enough to not let her fall, but definitely to follow her and make sure she got home okay after this encounter.

How very odd…. She normally didn’t get so attached to first meeting young people…

“I accept that I am tainted be it by the forces of Chaos, or by the choices made under a Serpents Council. I do not care because it has not hurt anyone in this new world.” There was not even a beat before he kept speaking. “My taint happened during the time before the Covenant, pardon, so please forgive my... Misrepresentation.” He showed no outward signs of annoyance, but he certainly was annoyed with himself if Sophia was still looking. “British Columbia. I am of Scottish descent before that. My surname is... An oddity. An accident of my Father's doing, choosing a woman who was hellbent on having him wear her own name. Where Dame-Mother gained Emile, is beyond my reckoning... Bless her soul.” He sighed, shrugging it off. “Two more reasons for me to loathe the Covenant.”

He looked Sophia in the eye, and paused, analyzing her. “You read my emotions. If I was a betting man... I would say you were born under Aphrodite's patronage. But they are simply rumours~” He wore a mask of emptiness again, the Void a comfort to his thoughts. “Your grandfather is wise, Izumi, but I am damned through no fault of my own. I was lost, when Chaos found me. And she offered me something no other could.” But that was all stopped. The moment Izumi made such an accusation, Peter slid his chair back, nodded to Sophia, before standing. “I bid you both pleasant day.”

And he was heading for the door.

Peter was certainly confusing. Tainted prior to the Covenant… Sophia didn’t know that could happen without their influence, but it appears as though it could. It was something to question the cats or Nazo about later. She wasn’t about to ask Peter though if he wasn’t going to give that information up freely. He spoke causally about most everything else, so if he wasn’t giving out that portion, it was probably best not to probe.

She gives him another sad look to him as he speaks about his parents. “I am sorry about your loss,” she adds. She’s sure there are more on that list than just his parents.

Sophia smiles widely as he says Aphrodite’s patronage, “All rumors start somewhere. I don’t know how you would come to know a thing like that though.” He wasn’t youma or zodiac as far as she could tell. What was he exactly?

Izumi interrupts the game with a mention of corruption. Izumi seemed far more worried about Peter’s corrupted soul than Sophia was. However, it was Sophia’s feelings that all human and youma were equal and that there was no difference between them that caused some friction occasionally between her and others.

She shakes her head a little, “I disagree. I do not think it’s as easy as simply wanting to change. It makes those suffering sound complacent and belittles their hardship. While I believe it is possible to remove, I don’t think it’s anywhere near an easy or painless process.” She had watched Ama burn away corruption. It always looked painful before they found peace.

“I don’t like the term evil as it relates to other humans as well. I do not think humans do not harbor evil. Acts can be evil. Humans are more complex than that. And it’s for that reason, I believe it is possible to change.”

The mention of honorifics surprises her since Izumi wanted to forgo any applied to her. Why did she demand that Peter use them? “I don’t think he meant anything by it. It’s like… a lot of American adults don’t really want to be called Mr. or Ms. Surname. I’m pretty used to doing thing both ways and I prefer when people state a preference for me addressing them formally or not.” She gets this isn’t about honorifics though, but can’t figure out why Izumi seems upset by Peter’s presence.

Peter’s gone before she has much to do about it. Or perhaps, chased away was a better choice of words. She waves as he leaves, “It was nice meeting you, Peter…” It’s a sincere statement. She was genuinely glad that they had met.

She looks back to Izumi, wearing a similar sad expression to when Izumi first noticed her. “When you look at someone with a corrupted soul, what do you see?"

Izumi had only a moment to react, to respond…
“Baka.” She muttered her breath and stood, shoving her chair back. “Typical Male only hearing half of the conversation…” She gave Sophia a bright smile. “Watch my stuff for me Sophia-chan? I’ll be right back. Some lions are dangerous if they are left wandering.”

What the hell was she doing? Was she stupid or something? What if Sophia wasn’t trustworthy to watch her stuff? These are the types of thoughts in her head as Izumi took off after Peter. She grabbed his arm too, something that –normally- she would never, ever have done. Her family had raised her to be a conservative, good, Japanese Girl. One didn’t run and one certainly didn’t grab strange men’s arms… or scold them in public…. She almost rolled her eyes at the last mental correction and planted her feet so that if he moved forward, he’d be taking her bulk with him.

“Emile-San,” She huffed, Physical education had never been one of her more stellar subjects at school. “It is an adult’s job to protect the children. I was merely trying to protect Sophia and yourself from potential complications. You’ll hurt her feelings if you run away now.” She dug her heels into the ground. “Your not family, and it wasn’t my place to treat you as such to inform you that cultural-no- society views something’s as questionable. But you are a fine looking young man and Sophia is a very attractive and sweet young girl. I shouldn't of over stepped my bounds however to try to protect either of you from something you both seem mutually agreeable too- So please… come back and enjoy your food and the pleasant company of a ray of sunshine as Sophia-chan and I will gather my bags and return to my temple.”

“Let it be me who walks away then you and anger.”

The moment there was a hand on his arm, Peter's keyed up emotions led him to follow the motion. He had Izumi in a firm, but not necessarily rough grip, almost instantly. He was about to flip her over his shoulder, tensing to do so, when he realized who it was. He was fighting himself, knowing what the taint wanted to do. “Brave. Just like she was. Foolish too, only you do not have a child in your care. So I suppose it is only you you have to worry about. I have lived in Japan since I was twenty, Hisa-San. I have been more than aware of traditions that set my teeth on edge. I try to fight those traditions, because they make it to easy to hide things like taint, when people do not inquire when people they barely know suddenly change.”

Leaning into her. Using the grip she had on him against her. “In a world I was happy with, I would be enjoying your company. But this is not a world I am native too anymore. And if I stay around you two much longer, I am going to begin losing what control I have.” He was choking down his anger. If he could not destroy it, Lorekeeper had to own it. The taint was furious, seething at him for ignoring it. “And that means I will start using skills I have let get rusty in the hopes I would never be the Lorekeeper again.” He kept his grip on her, his hand beginning to shake. Iwantyou for mine. I can never have my Queen. She was forsaken, and then Chaos forsook me... But then, I can never have you, can I?

“Please, forgive my leaving, but I have pressing business I had forgotten. The food was already paid for, help yourself.” He knew that there would be far too many awkward questions if he came back, and he was not letting this one leave the other. “She is as sincere as the sun, and about as warm. I am glad I was the man I am now, and not the man I was then. I can recognize that there is no place for me there, now. Do keep an eye on her.”

If Chaos did not want him, why would the Light.

Sophia Torres TAGS Yuuki Fukuten, Peter Emile ❀

The two of them definitely saw different things. “He struck me more as a hungry stray than a lion,” Sophia said looking at his food and considering the undeniable sense of hopelessness that he held. She definitely didn’t think he was going to go around hurting people. No, he was coping with his corruption the best that anyone could. “I’ll be right here though.” Sophia begins to eat her food surrounded by nothing but bags. Up until a few moments ago, this lunch had been so much more entertaining. Those two were definitely interesting, and she enjoyed the company of both of them. Now, if I only they could stand each other. Hopefully, Izumi would be able to smooth it over. As the two of them stay out of her sight for some time, she leans back on her chair using only the back legs. She certainly hope they didn’t walk away to yell at each other. Maybe she would give them a few more moments before making sure that they weren’t causing a scene. .

LAIKA OF GS!