Reflections in Starlight (Autumn/Retuo)

The rosy, fiery hues that had bruised the jagged edge of the Parisian skyline had long since faded, consumed by a yawning void that had at first gnawed at the daylight before swallowing it whole. The hungry abyss was transposed against a glittering net of stars and a brilliant arc of moonlight that split the darkness, light so thoroughly warped by the crystalline landscape that the silent spires of glass became kaleidoscopic, sheer waypoints by which a lone figure used to navigate her route throughout the treacherous deadzone. She wanted to stop to admire the stars and moonlight refracting off glassy surfaces and making it difficult to tell up from down, but she feared if she did so she’d be lost in the dream-like beauty of the lifeless expanse and lose her already tenuous grasp on a sense of direction.

The only clues to Autumn's passage was the dust stirred by her boots and the gentle noises of footsteps on the ground. Traveling under the curtain of nightfall might’ve been less than ideal (because of the reflective nature of glass, it was nigh-impossible to make any landmarks or discern anything at all), but this way demons would be equally hard pressed to nail down her location - or at least, that was what she hoped. The android plodded along, contemplating the events of the previous, hectic hours during her tireless march through the glassy cityscape, lost in her own world of ones and zeroes, bits and bytes.

The glassy lands were one of the best areas to settle down at for rest, being neither too hot nor too freezing during nighttime, which was exactly the reason why Retuo was there at that point in time. The way the crystals relflected any ray of light could certainly be a bit annoying from time to time, but he always found it preferable to other forms of unpleasant conditions. Having had enough of traveling about for the day, the man had found himself sat down on the ground, surrounded by a bunch of crystals jutting out from the land around him and, he himself leaned against the largest one of the group as he stared upwards at the sky somewhat absentmindedly.

It was indeed quite easy to lose track of direction in this reflective glass maze, but he had no need to make his way anywhere until the morning came, especially if he managed to get some sleep in at least. It was never simple to get a proper rest when there was always a chance that a demon or any sort of hostile individual would pass by and try to pick a bone with him. Well, he could hope that they'd be deterred by the blinding nature of the flashes off moonlight at the very least...

The sight of a figure leaning against one of the crystal spires caught Autumn's attention. It was vaguely humanoid in shape, though there was no telling if it was a demon or not. If it was, however, not hostile, it would be best if she approached it - but she'd have to check first, a risky affair seeing how it could potentially call for help if it was a demon. Oh well; it was a chance that she'd have to take - she just hoped it wasn't her undoing.

She silently flicked the leather strap that held her sword in it's scabbard and holding it loosely in her hands in a non-threatening manner, should the mysterious person prove to be at least somewhat friendly as she silently made her way up the towering glass. It seemed the person hadn't yet noticed her, but as if by a stroke of divine bad luck a loose pebble disgorged due to her passage, bouncing down the edge and making a clattering noise they couldn't possibly fail to miss. Autumn froze in apprehension, grip tightening around her sword as she prepared to flee if necessary.

...huh?

Well, a sudden clattering noise in the silence of nighttime was definitely a cause for mild concern, for it could be a sign of just about anything. Amber eyes would narrow slightly as the man turned his head to glance around in the direction of where the sound appeared to have come from. The combination of it being dark out and the flickers of moonlight randomly reflecting off of the nearby crystal structures made the task of locating the source a little difficult, but he could at the very least make out the figure of a person within his field of vision. He'd sit up straighter, in case he needed to act in some way or form, but since it wasn't his style to do before thinking or making sure first, he'd make an attempt to see what he was dealing with here before deciding what the wisest move was.

"...I do not know who you are, but if you're not here to fight, you could just come over."

Let's test what the response would be, if he'd get any at all.

The tension left Autumn's body as the figure extended a relatively cold, but not unwelcoming invitation. She slid her weapon back in it's sheath and hopped up the slope, coming to a distance where she could make out finer details.

She was greeted by the sight of someone -- a man, she thought -- dressed in rather formal attire, embroidered with various sigils and patterns leaning against the side of one of the crystal structures. Autumn approached him, somewhat warily, racking her database for greetings. In the end, she supposed that she'd start simple, managing to state an awkward greeting.

"Hello."

Ah. Luck was on his side for the time being, it would appear, though the person did seem to be more wary than what he was used to seeing. Then again, he couldn't really fault anyone for being unsure given any living being could have ulterior motives in mind. Deciding to stay sitting down in his spot so as to not appear more threatening than was necessary, he would nod at the stranger. "Hello to you as well. Is there something you happen to need...?" He was starting to feel like he was saying that line a lot lately, but it also wasn't like he had anything better to begin with. After all, what did one say to a person they've never met before suddenly approaching close? This one had even been sneaking about, which brought up further questions. Retuo didn't wish to assume or be rude though, so he would take it slow for now.

"Nothing in particular," Autumn replied lightly with a slight smile as Retuo extended a greeting. They stood in awkward silence for a while, each unsure of what course of action to take with this new person - after all, they had just stumbled upon each other by chance and Autumn certainly wasn't the best at interacting with others. Eventually she made an attempt to break the silence, gazing upwards as she did so. This was the first person she had met since she had arrived at the surface. Perhaps she could make him aware of the vaults if he wasn't already; either way, this encounter would be curious indeed.

"The stars are beautiful tonight, aren't they?"

"I see." That was admittedly not too surprising. Running into someone didn't have to mean that it was purposeful in any way, and given the wariness that he had been presented with, this was likely an unexpected encounter for the both of them. Retuo didn't particularly mind the small bout of silence that followed, because as long as there was no hostility involved, there was not a pressing need to act if neither party felt the need to do so. When his new company did speak up however, he would find himself reflexively glancing upwards at the stars that were being mentioned. "Ah. I suppose you could say that. Though, they look quite similar every night, so I'm not sure I would say they are specifically more beautiful tonight. Do you like stars...?" Might as well ask, although he was kind of suspecting that the question had been an attempt at instigating some sort of small talk, more than anything else.

The sheer awkwardness of this peculiar chance encounter was not lost on Autumn, but, unfortunately for the both of them, their cumbersome exchange had reached a point where it would be difficult for her to quickly take her leave. At the very least, it seemed the other party understood this as well, and thus, leeway was given when it was due, proving to be somewhat of a relief for them both. “Ah, they are?” She answered once she replied, voice not taught with cautious strain, but instead genuine curiosity as she flicked her eyes starward once more. This man, while youthful in appearance, had the hardened, angular, and ever so slightly suspicious features of a survivor - perhaps it would be conducive to point him towards the now publicly available vaults, a belated thought that struck her like the thunderclap that followed lightning. “This is my first night on the surface.”