"As Zara said, I can speak your language. Now that I've proven as much, I ask that we continue in Common so that she isn't excluded. {fox-kin tongue}" (Mizuki)
Hearing his voice for the first time, Teyla feels her heart flutter with excitement. It's neither deep nor effeminate, booming nor soft, but it carries a steadiness that oozes quiet confidence. Its melody somehow manages to pleasantly surprise her while still seeming perfectly fitting. Subtle yet influential, assured but not boastful – just like him.
A charming, genuine smile forces its way to her lips, and her curiosity only burns brighter, her crimson eyes practically gleaming with it. She speaks, her tone carrying a playful edge that even she's not sure is intentional.
"Mmm...a human that speaks two demi-human languages, and took down my best subordinates without even using any spells. I don't believe I've heard your name, mister fascinating." (Teyla)
She's careful to mention his lack of obvious magic use – casually, like something interesting she just happened to notice. She also pretended to not know his name, despite it being in his guild information. All so she can study his response. Is he smart enough to pick up on it? Will he be flustered? Will he give something away? She'd like to know who she's dealing with.
She watches him like a hawk...studying, calculating. And to her great delight, he reacts. Not overtly, not much of anything, really. Just the faintest flicker in his eyes, a hint of recognition beyond merely comprehending her words. Enough to tell her that he at least realizes she's probing him for something.
'So, he's decently intelligent...'
However, her comment elicits more of a reaction than she bargained for. Instead of responding to her, he continues to stare at her stoically for several seconds, his brow slightly furrowed in thought. Then, he frowns, his eyes darkening unexpectedly, and he begins walking towards her without warning.
Teyla feels a surge of both unease and anticipation at the sight, but forces herself to remain still, composed. But as he walks past Zara, the young wolf-kin gives him a confused look. Her voice carries a touch of unease as well.
"Mizuki?" (Zara)
Teyla feels a pang of satisfaction, despite the mounting tension.
'Good...I don't have to pretend I don't know his name now.'
She watches as Mizuki pauses his steps, glancing at Zara over his shoulder. His voice is clipped, but not unkind.
"She already knows who we are...who I am. She's known since the moment she laid eyes on us, I suspect. Everything since then has just been her testing us...playing some game. There's no point continuing this charade – she probably fully intends to have diplomatic talks with you. But first, I want answers of my own." (Mizuki)
Mizuki returns his gaze to Teyla, their eyes locking. Hearing his words, seeing the certainty in his eyes, surprise and nervous excitement hit her in successive waves. She swallows nervously, thrown by the sudden change in the situation and his demeanor.
'He...guessed all of that? Just now?'
The realization causes a cold sweat to form on the back of her neck, her heartbeat quickening. She underestimated him. He isn't just intelligent, he's dangerously sharp. Clever to the point that her confidence in controlling the conversation between them starts degrading.
Mizuki arrives in front of her, less than a meter between them now. He rakes his cold, calculating gaze over her in a way that makes her feel naked. So close she can practically feel the warmth radiating off him, and can't help but wonder if he can hear her accelerated breathing.
Despite her quickly slipping confidence, despite the sound of her own heart hammering in her ears, she maintains her composure through sheer force of will. She looks up at him slightly, becoming more aware of the difference in their heights, and she forces herself to observe him critically.
Earlier, she idly considered him handsome. But now, up close, she wonders if she underestimated the extent of it. There's something objectively appealing about his sharp features, and the taunt muscles under his silk shirt are only more evident now. However, meeting his unfiltered gaze from this distance is unexpectedly disarming...magnetic, even.
His bright green eyes seem to gleam with equal parts intelligence and severity, making her feel the impulse to look away with every second. His thin lips seem almost perpetually twisted into the faintest of smirks, like he carries the absolute certainty that there's nothing capable of threatening his control of the situation. The longer he stares at her in silence like this, the more she feels her drive to toy with him dwindling, replaced by a sense of unease.
As she's still trying to sort through her reactions, Mizuki takes a half step back from her, causing her to release a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Then, his hand moves to her waist, unhurried but without hesitance. Her throat constricts at the impending contact, before the sound of unsheathing metal snaps her back to her senses.
She glances at Mizuki, puzzled, only to find that he's now inspecting a sword – the one previously sheathed on her hip. He's not even sparing her a glance anymore, and she can't help but feel an inexplicable rush of irritation at that realization. For whatever reason, him taking her sword doesn't even register as an issue.
Mizuki's eyes flicker to her, and he speaks, his voice cold and measured.
"Beautiful sword, Teyla...want to tell me what it's called?" (Mizuki)
Regaining some of her cool, confident demeanor, she smirks lightly, her voice turning faintly suggestive. At the same her mind is churning over potential explanations for his strange fixation on the sword.
"A katana...like it? You're certainly giving it enough attention to make a girl jealous." (Teyla)
Mizuki blinks, his cold exterior momentarily shattering to reveal a bewildered expression. He quickly suppresses it, but not before Teyla notices. A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.
'So...not a complete wall, then...'
Mizuki purses his lips thoughtfully, then gently slides the katana back into its scabbard on her hip. The proximity causes her to tense again, her breath catching slightly, but she quickly collects herself. Her eyes meet his...waiting, expectant, as he continues to stare at her. As they stand there, Zara arrives beside them with a curious expression, silent but watchful.
Eventually, Mizuki breaks the quiet standoff. His expression is strict. Wary.
"How did you know who I was? When Zara and I arrived." (Mizuki)
Teyla smiles, finally excited to have him playing her game. She shrugs, her voice coy.
"What...you can't guess?" (Teyla)
His eyes narrow slightly, flashing with something like suspicion.
"I want to hear it from you." (Mizuki)
She hums thoughtfully, pretending like she hasn't already made a decision. She crosses her arms over her chest, raising her eyebrows.
"What do I get out of it?" (Teyla)
Mizuki gives her a deadpan look, a hint of sarcasm infiltrating his voice.
"You get to make up for your asshole behavior earlier...and prove to us that we shouldn't treat you like an enemy. Considering you're alone here after attacking us..." (Mizuki)
He lets the implication hang in the air, and she doesn't miss the hidden threat in his statement. But, she's more focused on his crass address of her.
'Fufufu...what a dirty mouth. I like it...'
She sighs dramatically, cutting her eyes at him in faux-hurt.
"So mean...but very well. Bottom line, I run a good intelligence network..." (Teyla)
She explains her spies operations in the demi-human territories and Empire, the pieces of information she obtained, and how she pieced together the connection between the adventuring party and Zara and her rumored human friend. When she's done, she gives Mizuki a smug smile. He studies her carefully in return.
"Clever..." (Mizuki)
She smiles mischievously.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, but I do enjoy mind games and interesting secrets. If you're impressed, feel free to spill yours, Mizuki." (Teyla)
Mizuki's lip twitches, his eyes flickering with amusement. At the same time, she's pleased to see that the message wasn't lost on him. He gives her a knowing smirk, his eyes becoming unexpectedly intense.
"Is that so...how about I give you both then?" (Mizuki)
Her eyes widen, intrigued.
"Both?" (Teyla)
He nods.
"A juicy secret, and a mind game." (Mizuki)
His words, and the dark, expectant gleam in his eyes, blankets her with a sense of foreboding. Alas, she's a curious girl. She speaks, hesitant.
"I'm listening..." (Teyla)
He gives her a small smile, dripping with mischievous intent.
"I'll let you ask me exactly two questions. Any questions at all that you want, and I'll answer them honestly and thoroughly. After I do, I have one question that I want you to answer. You're expected to answer just as earnestly." (Mizuki)
She narrows her eyes, wary.
"How is that a mind game?" (Teyla)
He tilts his head, humming thoughtfully.
"Oh right, there's a twist. If you lie when answering my question, or refuse to answer it...I kill you immediately. So...want to play?" (Mizuki)
He fixes her with a playful look, not lacking warmth in the slightest. But, that's exactly what causes Teyla's blood to run cold. Even though his eyes are meeting hers, dancing with amusement, curiosity, and even playfulness, there's not a hint of satire in his offer. He's casually mentioning murdering her like its entertainment.
And yet...mixed with the bone deep fear that instills in her, she also feels...excitement. The dangerous kind, that sets her nerves on edge and her heart racing, reminding her she's alive. The kind of excitement she's finding she's had entirely too little of lately.
Before she knows it, there's a giddy smile on her face.
"Sounds like fun...I accept." (Teyla)
Mizuki raises his eyebrows, clearly taken aback by her reaction, and she sees Zara's eyes widen into saucers in an uncharacteristic display of shock. However, Mizuki recovers quickly.
"Oh? We'll see about that. Ask your questions." (Mizuki)
She doesn't hesitate, her voice turns heavy...expectant.
"Have you only been pretending that you can't use magic?" (Teyla)
She stares at him, her crimson eyes gleaming intensely, and he meets her gaze with a thoughtful but unflustered expression. Then, he suddenly raises his arm out to his side.
"Abrakadabra." (Mizuki)
Under her astonished gaze, a shimmering sphere materializes in front of his outstretched palm. Then, he sticks his hand inside, up to the wrist, and pulls out a piece of paper. Teyla can faintly make out writing on it, identifying it as a letter of some kind, but her gaze is immediately drawn to the sphere again.
She leans in to study it, realizing that there are images of various objects floating on the sphere's surface. Her eyes widen, realization dawning on her.
"Incredible! This is some kind of storage spell?" (Teyla)
She reluctantly tears her gaze away from the strange sphere to look at Mizuki, waiting for confirmation. To her surprise, though, he's staring at her with a bewildered expression, frustration and confusion warring on his face. Before she can inquire about the puzzling reaction, though, his face relaxes and he nods. He responds, his voice carrying the faintest trace of...disappointment?
"That's correct, and I assume that this qualifies as a very clear, generous response to your question." (Mizuki)
He tosses the piece of paper back into the sphere, casually dismissing the spell. She nods, smiling at him smugly.
"Oh yes...but, I'm not surprised by the answer. I told those imbeciles that work for me that only morons would believe your guild records. I'm a little disappointed you showed me a utility spell, though...not exactly a demonstration of raging dominance." (Teyla)
He scoffs, his mouth twitching.
"I guess the world is full of morons, then. And I had no desire or obligation to impress you...quit complaining and ask your last question." (Mizuki)
Teyla feels her eye twitch at the blatant dismissal, a familiar itch settling in her psyche. The desire to take him down a peg, to wipe that placid look off his face...to get under his skin like he just did hers. But she focuses, considering her last question instead.
There are numerous things she wants to know. What's his relationship with the elves? Why exactly did he kill Belmod? What are his true abilities? What are his goals? However, she's not sure that any of those are a good use of this question.
In fact, his offhand comment to Zara earlier suggests that the two of them want to engage in diplomatic talks after Mizuki finishes with...well, whatever he's aiming for right now. In that case, and now that he's already revealed a major secret to her, there's a good chance she can get satisfactory answers to most of those questions later on.
What she needs now is a question that he won't be forthcoming about under normal circumstances. Something interesting. Entertaining. Something that, if possible, will also get under his skin. Fluster him and crack that smug smirk that seems permanently etched into his face.
Something...like...