[OOC: Just picking up where Nat left off...]

Namame eyed the other critically for a moment. But all he said was, "You can't run forever. And neither can they."

What an odd day /this/ was turning out to be. Or perhaps 'odd' wasn't the right word for it - but the terminology he wanted to use was too vulgar for his taste and station. Perhaps he'd ask Kori to...

Namame sighed, breaking Natasha's gaze and tugging at his sash to loosen it; the red material fell to the floor, along with his cloak and his brocaded outdoor robe. How many more layers left? //I suppose it's a good thing I dressed quickly. Genbu, what a mess...//

"Really stranger, I don't know you well enough for this." The gypsy's sarcastic tone caused him to look up for a moment, but no more; the buttons and fastenings of his formal robe required too much concentration. "I have to admit, this would be a new approach for an assassin, if that were the case with you."

"Hold your tongue." It was an order, and it slipped out too quickly for Namame to bite it back. After a moment of silence, and the unfastening of his robe, he added, "I requested privacy with reason, 'Natasha'. If you'll be patient, I'll show you why."

"Of course. But hurry - we wouldn't want the others getting the wrong idea, now would we?"

It was easy to shrug out of the silken material and let it fall to the floor with the rest of his robes; it was not so easy, however, to endure the shock of the temperature. The air, even inside of the wagon, was almost frozen solid, and it caressed his bare shoulders with a numbing touch, sucking away all of his accumulated warmth until he was sure ice ran through his veins.

Gritting his teeth and refusing to look up to Natasha just yet, Namame reached within to find his focus, and centered his power in the way he had the night before, to distance himself from the cold. And that... he thought that would be enough.

"As I said, I am the star 'Namame', of the northern quadrant of the sky." He hooked a finger on the waistline of his pants over his left leg, and tugged it down just enough to reveal his symbol. 'Na' shined faintly there on the pale expanse of skin, brightening enough to cast Natasha's face and the walls in white-green light. Unless the other seishi was a fool - or more stubborn than he seemed - there could be no denying the chi /or/ the reality of the symbol.

"Does this ease your suspicions, Natasha? I find it hard to believe a foreigner could do as well without divine intervention... pardon the pun."

Natasha quirked an eyebrow, a sour expression - or something akin to one - caught in his eyes. "Perhaps not." After a long pause, he shrugged, and motioned for Namame to release his chi. "Well then, I can't dispute the truth of your claim. But I think I should ask what your intentions are - and I hope you don't give me the standard seishi speeches either, stranger. I've already told you why I'm keeping Kita and Kiyuki in my care."

Something brushed Namame's mind - just an impression, but he thought he understood what it meant. Yet he kept it to himself, instead saying, "I exist to protect the miko, as you do. How I do so is entirely up to the circumstances. But I get the distinct feeling that my talents may be of help to her..."

Natasha kept his eyes locked to Namame's face as the other began to don his clothes again. "And what would those talents be? It might be helpful to know."

Namame raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, going to work at fastening his formal robe once again. "I really don't know what to call it." Well, perhaps that wasn't quite true... "I sense things. I hear lies, I see through illusions. I can create barriers... At my father's home, I work as his mediator. In terms of the politics that will be involved with the miko's duties, my skills may prove useful."

... If the miko was allowed to reach the capitol, in any case. He knew quite well that Natasha's reasons for holding back were mostly selfish; that was the worst kind of obstacle to overcome, sometimes. And he was also right - given the current situation with the worshippers of the so-called 'one god', it really would /not/ be safe for Kiyuki to be out in the open. And if they'd already found her once...

Well, best not to dwell on that just yet.