What kinda dumb bracelet...

"Let me ask you this," Hua murmured quietly, tiredly as she stretched. Emily locked the door, and the two young women set off, both now wearing shoddy, threadbare cloaks belonging to the girl of ash. "Why are you really helping me?" She cast piercing green eyes to the woman walking with her, as they set off. "There's no way it's out of the kindness of your heart- do you need my help, with something?"

"Why the distrust?" Emily countered quietly, their boots crunching on the twigs and leaves fallen underfoot. "Is the fact that you needed help, and I was able to give it not enough?" 

"Mn…" Hua fell quiet for a long moment, swallowing slowly, mulling these words over with her tongue in her cheek.

"If you can't trust me," Emily continued, "-Then don't. Will it not prove my honesty when I ask you for nothing? Now come on, we want to get there as quickly as we can, it's become dangerous to roam the countryside," She added, idly pathing through the woods. Though to Hina, there was no distinction, and everything around looked like just a mess of brambles and tangled nothing, Emily seemed to know exactly where she was going perfectly well. 

"You mentioned wanting to reach a shop, but what do you need? Low on food?" Seeing no point in further questioning, Hua changed the subject entirely.

"There's a type of magic that the man who helps us monsters holds, and he condenses it into a bracelet, like a plain silver chain. It takes a drop of your blood once, and from there it can give you information on what you actually are. It's used a lot for orphaned demons who don't know their species, and gives you a bit of insight about what you're capable of." 

"What, like some kind of lame, nonsensical stat checker?" Hua raised an eyebrow, curious. 

"No, not really like that," Emily muttered, shaking her head tiredly. "So picture this- you're a succubus, and you have innate magic revolving around seduction, manipulating the mind, hallucinations and illusion. However, as far as you know, you're just a really horny human girl without parents- the band would help by telling you, based on your blood and your magical energy, what innate abilities you have, and what race you are. Like, sure, there's magic that you can learn, but most species have a thing or two that's a guarantee. Like succubi being able to sexually arouse people at will, or fairies being able to change the size of their body."

"Right, so getting that bracelet…" 

"I mean, your ears might belong to an animal that isn't native to Starria, it could be common knowledge to somebody, somewhere. I have no idea what you might be able to do. Plus, it'll be good for us to catch any red flags early."

"Red flags?" Hua raised an eyebrow, concerned.

"Yeah. Liches can't have skin to skin contact, they'll rot you, for example. Angels can't touch a devil, they'd be incinerated from the inside out. Those sorts of things."

"Do you think I'd have something that wild? I feel like a human-" Hua raised an eyebrow, thorns scratching lightly at her hands as they wound through the woods. Through the trees, there were the lights of homes, now, though it was hard to make out much else.

"I'm a creature from one of the hells, myself," Emily spoke pointedly, shuffling her wings. "I chanced touching you to save your life, but I'd like to know if there's anything for me to be careful of, regardless." 

"Okay, no, that's fair sorry, of course you'd want to know what you're keeping under your roof," Hua sighed, soft, as their feet fell onto a thin dirt trail, now, this soon turning into a wider, broader dirt path as they stepped onto a road full of shoddy cottages, some sort of slum from the looks of it.

"So this village," Hua spoke softly. "What's the deal? Normal human town?"

"It's a small city, maybe two thousand strong," Emily shrugged, yawning softly. "It'd take a full day's hike to reach the far side- but it's under pretty heavy watch from the capitol, always has been. It used to be a relatively safe haven, and accepting of non-humans, but once soldiers instigated watches here, only the monsters who can disguise themselves as humans are welcome anymore. That's why we keep our heads down, and keep moving," She added, directing Hua to take a right turn. 

"The capitol," Emily continued, walking briskly. "They still suspect something, of course, but now there's no way to prove it, not anymore. We're almost to the shop now."

"So…" Hua thought, quiet for a moment. "If Starria is such a racist, sexist place to live, why haven't you left yet?" 

"A move is a big deal, isn't it? Especially out of the country. I grew up here- I'll be leaving the home my parents raised me in. Leaving most of my possessions to hike for a month because anybody caught selling cart rides to my kind would go to trial. Through the wilderness, where I may have to fend off wolves and god knows what else as we get closer to the border, where less people live… it's not as simple as just deciding to do it on a whim. Mn, here we are-" She added abruptly, pushing open a small wooden door and walking through, throwing her hood off. Hua followed, looking around and shaking her head to knock her hood off.

The interior was a small and relatively unassuming shop, the walls and their shelves full of baskets and nicknacks. Behind the counter stood a kindly man with wild, windblown brown hair, a set of full-moon glasses and loose clothing, smiling at the two of them. 

"Is this her, then?" He spoke, voice a soft, playful cadence that somehow put Hua's mind to ease.

"No, it's a different black and white haired amnesiac," Emily responded casually. "Hua, meet Lif- he's the shopkeep risking his life for people like us, and he's the reason you can understand what I'm saying."

"Eh? I didn't even think of that," Hua muttered nervously, shaking her head. 

"Common in other countries, to slip language magics into your baby's food. It makes it so that if somebody talks to you, you hear it in your own language, and vice versa, so that two people with entirely different languages can sit down for a heartfelt chat and get their meanings across without difficulty. Made politics calm down in the west quite a lot," She added, tone brightening as if to offer a fun fact. "Turns out clear communication fixes a lot."

"So, let me guess," Lif spoke lightly, spinning a silver bangle around one wrist. "Forgot one of these? It's a good thing you're here when you are, I'll be leaving in two weeks, and not back for a half year. Will you visit me before I go, dear Emily?" 

"A work trip, I assume?" Emily nodded, sighing. "I don't feel ready to say goodbye to a friend, but I understand. Giving free things to the oppressed doesn't pay the bills, and neither does a knick knack shop." Hua understood the implications, but decided not to ask any questions as, with a flick of his wrist, Lif sent the bangle her way, and she caught it deftly between two fingers. 

"Well, I would rather stay here, Emily, you know I would, but you're right. 'Sides, I can't just up and quit my work, can I? Now, dear, what is your name?" Lif turned, addressing the black-and-white-haired woman.

"Hua," She replied, careful.

"Alright, Hua. Well met- just slide that bracelet onto your arm, for a moment, and brace yourself for a bit of a sting, it needs a drop of blood." He nodded, and Hua, nodding in kind, slipped it onto her right wrist. There was an odd scraping sensation against her arm, and then… nothing. 

"Hmn…" Hua thought quietly. "Is something supposed to happen?" 

"It looks like it failed to get through your skin, maybe it's a defective one," Lif sighed, holding out another, and Hua stepped forward. Taking the bangle off, she lay it on the counter and put on the new one she was offered… nothing, just an odd tickling sensation. She took that off, too, frowning, and Lif frowned, thoughtful.

"Your skin must be some sort of magical. There's another way to do this, though, if you don't mind me cutting your arm with a knife- I have medical supplies on hand," Lif began, but Emily interjected.

"No. It's not that big of a deal, we don't need to be wounding anybody-"

"Do it. I want to know what the hell I am," Hua cut Emily off and yanked her sleeve up, slapping her right arm down on the counter. Lif flashed Emily a look, and the girl like ash reluctantly nodded. 

"Hold still, Hua, and if you want me to stop, say so, I won't force you to be cut. Okay?" Lif stared into her eyes seriously, and Hua nodded, gritting her teeth slowly. Consent acquired, the young man slid a sheet of paper under her arm, drawing a small, curved hunting knife, and slowly rested the tip against her soft, exposed inner forearm. When he pushed, though, nothing happened, and Lif hesitated, furrowing his brow.

"I don't know if all of you is armored, or just your skin… I don't want to break through the skin and end up nearly taking your hand off."

"I trust you, just keep going," Hua insisted quietly, closing her eyes, and Lif nodded, pushing harder. It hurt, the push, it ached, but Lif was groaning lightly from exertion, and Hua only groaned in pain as she was crushed, rather than cut.

"Let me have the knife?" She reached out her free hand, and Lif, seemingly curious, handed it over, both he and emily watching as Hua gripped the handle, hard, and pushed the blade against the flesh of her forearm, near the elbow. The first scraped her flesh, and she pushed again, skin reddening, raw. Once more, and blood began to flow from a cut the length of her smallest finger, soaking the paper and going through to the counter as Hua groaned again, louder. Lif was already wrapping her arm up in cotton and bandaging, binding it with some sort of pin, and for a moment, she stay there, exhausted, allowing herself to be taken care of, closing her eyes. 

"Why was it so hard to cut…" She muttered softly, flushed.

"We're going to find out, I hope," Lif responded, gently putting one of the bracelets into the bloody mess on the paper- luckily, a majority of the paper was unaffected, and scarlet lines slowly trailed from the bracelet, forming words.

"Are you okay, Hua?" Emily asked gently, stepping forward.

"I am, yeah. Just… tired," The green-eyed amnesiac nodded, looking down at the paper. Evidently, the same magic applied to written language, as she was able to understand what she saw. 

Species: Demi-human, Honey Badger

Innate alterations: Iron skin, strengthened bones, enhanced smell, strength

Abnormalities: Unstable DNA, easily altered. Summoned. Home world; other

Imbued abilities (Summon): imbued magical adeptness

That was all, unless you counted the pool of blood.

"I get the most of it…" Hua muttered, reading. "What is magical adeptness, imbued, though…?"

"It basically means that when summoned," Lif explained gently. "-They made sure you'd be able to use magic. You'd have a far easier time learning it than somebody born without any experience trying to step into it. It's likely intent was to make you stronger, faster, for their purpose. Enhanced smell, though? That… I mean, maybe it could be useful, I don't know."

"I don't think my sense of smell is enhanced, though?" Hua angled her head, confused.

"Yeah? Then, what do you smell in here?"

"Sweat, salt. Wood lacquer, cinnamon sticks and cooked eggs." Hua thought, focusing for a moment. "A lot of sweat, you had a long day. Isn't that, normal though?" From the look on emily and lif's faces, amused and somewhat bewildered, she understood. "Got it. So I'm strong, I'm durable, I smell good, and I could learn magic easily if I felt like it," Hua nodded slowly. "Nothing there that could hurt you, Emily." 

"Hm…" The gray girl slowly stepped forward, leaning in, and closed her eyes. Confused, face reddening, Hua leaned back as Emily leaned close to her neck and inhaled deeply, then rocked back on her heels, stepping back with a playful grin. "Smell normal to me~"

"Eh?" Hua blinked, and a moment later her eyes widened. "Oh-!! I meant I can smell really well, not that I smell good-!" Huffing, her nostrils flaring as she tried to hold in a laugh. 

"Well, Lif," Emily hummed tiredly. "It has been a pleasure, and I promise to see you at least once again before you leave, on the memory of my parents. Thank you for your help tonight, but we should be headed back." 

"Anything for you, Emily." Lif nodded, smiling softly. "In another world, maybe we could have been friends for many years more." 

"Peaceful were the days when we rested by the waterfalls in peace," Emily agreed softly.

"You're like an older sister to me, Emily, and that doesn't disappear. If I'm ever in Mir for work, maybe I'll hunt you down to share some drinks and catch up?" 

"I'd love that, more than anything, my friend." Emily nodded softly. "Let's go, Hua." 

"Er, yeah, coming. Bye Lif."

"Farewell, super sniffer," He spoke back with a laugh in his tone, this alongside a deep, soul-deep sadness; the sadness of a man losing a friend of many years. Feeling for him, in an odd way, Hua quietly turned and ducked through the shop's exit again.