Torshael and Tayne's Story, Part Two: A New God for a New Mission

Tekasynos was awake and sitting up by the time they got back to his room, at Haiiro's much-reduced pace as he was still not entirely comfortable walking on two feet. The healer had left, to Torshael's relief; none of them really wanted to be stared at anymore.

Thankfully, Tekas didn't stare, either. He just raised an eyebrow and gave Haiiro's new body a quick once-over in obvious surprise. He didn't even ask if it really was Haiiro. Even so, Haiiro still blushed a little. "I'm sorry I'm in your coat," was the first thing out of his mouth. "I don't have any other clothes yet...."

The infernal chuckled amiably enough. "You don't have to apologize for something like that. Though if the people here are too busy to handle it properly, I can probably get your measurements and have something sent up from home."

"Clothier?" Tayne asked from the doorway, giving Tekas a curious look, and Torshael had a feeling that would be how the infernal had such wonderful cold-weather clothes.

"Mm, something like that," Tekas replied.

"That-- that's very kind," Haiiro stammered. "I don't want to be a bother...."

"Or walk around naked for as long as it takes to get them?" Torshael suggested teasingly. "That is kind, Tekas, and probably a good idea," he mused, giving his bond a critical look. "I doubt anyone here has time to make anything that will really fit him-- the horns, and he still has wings, albeit small ones. Until then, Haiiro, we can cut holes into something that doesn't pull over your head."

"While you talk clothes, I'm off to go talk deities with Ghaurin and the rest," Tayne interjected. "I'll be back in a while."

"Make sure you ask about the description," Torshael reminded him.

"As if I could forget," his brother snorted before padding off.

" ... deities?" Tekas asked with another signature raised brow. "Did something apocalyptic happen during my nap, or something?"

"Other than my changing into a biped?" Haiiro asked with a sigh.

"The man who gave Haiiro and Tayne Ishtar's journal came back," Torshael explained. "And from some of the things he said and did, Tayne thinks he's a deity. No one we've asked so far, here, knows which one he might be, though."

"Ah...." Tekasynos considered a moment, then asked Haiiro, "Is it really that bad? I'm sure your father didn't intend for you to be miserable."

"Oh, no," Haiiro blinked. "It's not bad-- I've always wanted to be a little smaller, really. And it'll help a lot on recon. But... I don't know anything about being human. Ish. Human-ish. I'm not very good at walking, I don't have any clothes, and it's--" Torshael did his best not to smile at the entirely adolescent tone to Haiiro's anxious complaint, "it's embarrassing...." He looked down at his hands, turning them over with a little less concern and a little more wonder. "And I sort of wish I knew what I looked like."

"So, your pride is just a little singed?" Tekas smiled. "Because the rest of those are easily remedied. In fact, I can help with the last one right now."

The infernal managed to carefully pull himself out of bed and tread over to the pile of his belongings. Torshael watched him closely, but was glad to note he wasn't as unsteady as he could have been, so he didn't offer to help. Tekas drew from one of the bags a small mirror, and held it out for Haiiro. "Try this."

Torshael took it and passed it along, setting it in Haiiro's hands. The youth-- Tayne was right, he really did look younger, now; perhaps it was the drastic change in size-- took it and the thin line of his brows went up as he examined his own face. He even raised one hand to touch his cheekbones, nose, and the more familiar horn curving from his forehead.

"I can take your measurements now, if you like," Tekas added, pulling a few other things out of his bag. "The sooner I get them, the sooner you'll have results."

"You brought things to measure people with you?" Torshael asked, amused.

Tekasynos flushed embarrassedly. "I always keep them in this bag... out of convenience, anyway...."

"Well, it certainly is convenient, today," Torshael admitted. "I guess you never do know when you might want to use them, if the occasion popped up, now. Haiiro?"

His bond finally tore himself away from the mirror to blink at Tekas. "Oh, now's all right... thank you. --What do I need to do?"

By the time Tayne made it back, Tekasynos was finished measuring-- and there was more to measuring for clothing than Torshael had imagined!-- and was writing down various numbers while Haiiro tried to find a way to get the coat settled more comfortably over his wings. As the door closed, he finally gave up and tossed it across his lap, leaving the small appendages free to stretch out.

"Well, that was a lovely waste of time," Tayne grumbled.

"Something wrong?" Tekasynos asked without looking up from his numbers.

"Only that we're nowhere closer to knowing who Rein is than we were before," Tayne huffed. "Apparently not one of the many well-known deities or even minor immortals on this planet regularly manifest as a red-haired, gold-eyed dark elf. And they don't have time to research it, especially since now it's certain he's not causing any harm. --Oh, hey, you do have wings under there, Haiiro."

"Yes," Haiiro said, looking over his shoulder and waving one at him.

"Sorry to hear they didn't have more of an answer for you... I'm sure the answer's here somewhere," Tekasynos mentioned absently, still focused on his calculations.

"Why?" Tayne snorted lightly, though not unamicably, "Do you know of any red-haired, gold-eyed dark elf deities? --And what are you doing?"

"Seems a bit familiar, when I think about it," the infernal said thoughtfully. "I read up on some of Kynns deities when I first got here, but it's been a while...." He trailed off, finally looking up with his cocked brow. "And I finished taking Haiiro's measurements for clothes, if you must know."

"Can't wait to see what kind of clothes you come up with for him," Tayne grinned. "Here, add 'playful', 'laughs a lot', and 'extremely fast' to the list-- ring any bells?"

Tekas considered for a few moments, then said, "Hard to say... I could probably jog my memory in the archives they have here, there's bound to be something."

"Sounds like a good idea, to me," Tayne answered. "Something you can do while convalescing. Keep you from getting bored," he teased, and amazingly enough didn't get growled at for it. "Hopefully you'll have an answer before we're all ready to go."

"Then at least we'll know someone else on our side," Torshael said. "Yulaan, and now some nameless god-- or whatever he is."

"The more the merrier," was Tayne's dry response.