"What--" Liya started. "It's that weird guy again!"

She was standing along one of the huge walls next to Luu, her ponytail pulled higher up on her head than usual and her sleeves still rolled up. Luu shifted their weight to one leg, tilting their head to look where Liya was--they were wearing dusky purple pants and high boots, but had stripped down to a thin undyed undershirt that exposed their toned back. The both of them watched as Yoshi and Teige approached them down an empty avenue that stretched back to another wall and another gate, striped with afternoon shadows.

"'Weird guy'," Luu repeated, "What do you mean?"

"I ran into him here a little while ago," Liya explained. "He knew my name, somehow."

"Hm," was all Luu said, before adding, "His name is Teige. He is a pooka."

"I don't know 'im," Liya said. Teige had stopped and gave Yoshi a little wave; Yoshi waved back and continued towards Liya and Luu. Teige's gaze followed her, and then--without Liya noticing--he started unpleasantly, seeing who was standing at the wall. "That's who you're gonna teach to fight?"

"I suppose so," Luu drawled. Liya face crinkled in a smirk.

"You don't sound too excited."

"I am doing this as a favor to Vlad and Yoshi. I do not normally teach, you see." As Luu stepped forward to head towards Teige, their lips curled to show their teeth. "And I am not patient."

Luu gave Yoshi a nod and a greeting as they passed each other, which Yoshi returned. Teige was now determinedly looking at anything else, ears flat and tail whipping back and forth just above the ground.