09/08/2000

Rooftop, White Tower, Tar Valon

Those that venture up to the top of the tower, find that it is breathtaking
no matter whether the sun is overhead or it's the moon that lights the
land. Whether it's your first time to step foot upon the roof or the first
time after a hundred years, a feeling of awe rushes through most that take
in the sight of surrounding beauty. Nothing but Sky above, earth below, and
the always present wind that seems to want to whip around people as if in a
dancing to some unknown tune beckoning the folk to join along.

During the day, the sun beats down upon the land as one looks out over the
edge to the rolling countryside. There are many farms and roads and
mountains and streams. A toy world from such a great height. Something that
might strike those who ponder things is that boundaries do not exist here
in this tranquilty above the height that the birds fly.

During the night time, the world is pitch black save for the moon and
stars. There is feel of standing in the center of blackness with nothing
beneath beneath you or around you like you are suspended in air with the
only the stars to keep you from falling. The twinkling lights seem to call
those who are inclined to hear, "Sit.. Listen to our stories of old.
Stories from other time and another age...."


Sitting up on the rooftop in the heat, Neelkan's not as bad off as /some/
people at least. He disliked the snow and rain more, but the heat isn't
that bad, even if it's a little extreme. He's from the south after all. He
hadn't seen snow until he ran away and joined the bandits and travelled
north. He sits in the shade of one of the cages holding pigeons, his shirt
unlaced to let in some air. He's still sweating a good deal, but he doesn't
seem to be trying to stop it. His hair is flat against his head, falling
down a little past his shoulders in the back and plastered against his
temples on the side, the red of it darker then usual, making the snowy
white streaks an even greater contrast of color. His metal fan is resting
near his hand, as if expecting an attack even up here, and his eyes are
trained on the sky, looking for any signs of another storm.

Aidou follows her brother up to the rooftop. It wasn't hard, she just
followed the floofy white hair she saw bobbing along, and she has a mission
at the moment. Ooof. It's hot. If she were Accepted she would probably be
channeling to cool herself right now, but she's not so like everyone else
she just has to grin and bear it. A scowl is given to him, while she thinks
he's not looking, for a moment before she approaches, but it's not because
she's angry at him. It's more because.. she doesn't like the idea of what
she's supposed to do. He's just a kid after all! He shouldn't be doing
dangerous things... She's not going to show him that she's worried though,
so she adorns her face with a sweet smile and wanders in his direction.
"Oh, -Shun'u-" she says loudly, emphasizing his real name. "What a pleasant
surprise!" She flutters her eyelashes at him, and then grins evilly. "I was
just looking for you." Her hands come to rest on her hips and she taps a
foot to show her 'impatience' as she arches an eyebrow, looking him and the
shade over for a moment. Then she sighs and flips some of her hair back
over her shoulder to get it off her neck. "Being lazy as always. And here I
thought the Gaidin didn't tolerate things like that."

Glancing down from the sky, Neelkan actually manages not to look surprised
or shocked or anything of the like. In fact he looks almost as if he knew
she was there the whole time, despite the fact that he did not. His Gaidin
training is counting for something after all. He raises his eyebrows and
then shrugs, reaching up and running the hand not near his fan through his
sweat-damp hair, slicking to back a little, "Wouldn't be surprised if ya
followed m' 'round all week, Aidou." He responds dryly, looking a little
angry, but fighting it. He doesn't stand up, or even try to straighten his
sitting position. "'n m' name is Neelkan now." He reminds, despite the fact
it will have no effect at all. "'n I'm between lessons 'n chores right now.
We're 'llowed a free hour a day t' do whate'er we please. More if we work
quickly." He shrugs lightly, though he isn't going to say he wasn't being
lazy. How's he going to explain he was watching the sky for the signs of
another storm so he could run down and warn people. There /are/ people
doing that after all. He doesn't have to.

No, it's not going to do any good at all. She will always call him Shun'u,
not just because that's his name, but because she knows it annoys him.
Creator forbid she should actually be -nice- to him. "Oh, right, red
chicken." She cocks her head to the side and grins. "Sorry old man," she
reaches over to tousle his slicked back hair, mussing it into his face
again. "Well anyway, I have something for you, and I might add that Kaomi
is not happy with you at all! How could you hide something like your Dreams
from her? I should turn you over my knee!" And she might too. "And that
Espi helping you too? Hmph. Well I don't care if she is Accepted, she
shouldn't hide things from Mother." Hmm.. is she rambling? She might just
be trying to avoid giving him, whatever it is she has. "You know I think
you could do better. She's not even really pretty..." Yup, she's definately
rambling.

Ok, if her appearance didn't shock her, she's made up for it now. Neelkan
jumps as soon as she mentions dreams and hiding it from Kaomi. He looks
around quickly as if to make sure no one else is in ear shot. "What the
bloody Light are ya talkin' 'bout? I haven't hidden anythin' from 'er! It's
not like she flamin' asked. It's m' own business. Blood 'n ashes..." He
didn't even know that /she/ knew about them. He just figured she thought he
was crazy for having weird dreams all his life. Light knows he did. "'n I
only shared with Espi 'cause... 'cause, Light, I trust 'er! What I tell
'er, 'n what she doesn't tell Kaomi is 'er own business. 'n Espi /is/
pretty!" Then he sighs and looks down at his hands before glancing back up,
"'n what d'ya mean she isn't happy with me?"

Aidou sniffs a little. "She's passable, I suppose." Hmmm.. she wouldn't
be.. jealous would she? Jealous that her brother trusts this Accepted more
than he trusts her? "I don't know everything that happened. I just know
she's mad at you and Espi for keeping it a secret from her. She said you
should have told her. But that's beside the point." She's still a little
miffed, but it's time to put the histrionics aside and get serious. She
slips her hand into the pouch at her waist, and looks at him quietly. "Do
you know what Tel'aran'rhiod is," she asks as though she was already an
expert on it. Yes, she's still going to act more important than she
actually is, considering she just found out about it today. She pointedly
doesn't remove the hand, or what's in it just yet. She's hoping the
suspense will make him squirm a little.

"I wanted t' tell 'er. I told Wyntere, but I didn't want t' bother Kaomi
with it..." Neelkan says softly, almost defensively. It is the truth. He
even told Espi more then once that he wanted to tell Kaomi, but she
convinced him that she had bigger things to worry about the a trainee being
slowly driven insane by his own dreams. He takes a breath at the mention of
Tel'aran'rhiod, and looks hesitent, but then nods, "Yes. I've heard of it.
Sat in on a lesson 'bout Dreamin' 'n Dreamwalkin'." He leans forward now,
bring his knees up so he can rest his arms over them, his head peeking out
of the shade enough to catch some sunlight in the red locks, flashing
yellow highlights. "What 'bout it? Why would Kaomi talk t' ya 'bout m'
Dreams?"

Aidou holds the Amyrlin in pretty high esteem, but even she wouldn't have
gone that far. It's probably just as well he didn't actually -say- that or
she'd really not like Espiria. Of course she'd care! Aside from this being
a war, and then needing all the help they can get... she cares, Aidou knows
she does. His question catches her off guard a little and she looks away,
keeping the hand in her pouch. "Because we were trying to find my talents."
She's -not- going to apologize for teasing him all those times about his
dreams though! She's not! Finally she pulls the hand out of her pouch and
holds out two twisted stone rings. "She told me to give you one. She wants
us to go into the World of Dreams to learn more about our ability." There,
and she didn't even have to say it really. Knowing him she'll have to clonk
him over the head with it (and one of her logs too just for being silly!)
and say 'I'm a Dreamer' but she does hold out a shred of hope that it won't
come to that.

.... Neelkan blinks and looks down at the rings silently for a long time,
then looks back up at his sister. Then back down at the rings. Then he
shakes his head and sits back, scratching at his hair with both hands.
"Aidou... what the... Light. /Our/ ability!?" He looks around quickly, then
suddenly wants to be sick. Just perfect. His sister. His own, bloody
sister. She's always been older. Always been better then him. Never letting
him forget that fact either! And now... now /she/ can dream too? Just after
he finally accepted the fact that his Dreams made him special. Made him
/different/. Now he won't be any more. He growls and pushes himself up,
glaring at his sister. At least he's taller. "I don't want t' go int' 'at
flamin' World of Dreams, 'n I sure as bloody Light d' /not/ want t' help
ya!"

Aidou glares up at him, not really liking how he usues his height to his
advantage, but she's certainly not going to tell -him- that. "You know very
well what I mean, and don't curse!" She log-thumps him on the head. "And
who said you were going to help me? It's so we can both learn. But if you
don't want to I can just tell mother and keep the ring for myself. I didn't
want you going there anyway. Far too dangerous." She closes her hand and
starts to tuck the rings away. If she was thinking more clearly she
probably would have kept her mouth shut. Or.. uh.. maybe she can pass it
off as trying to use reverse psychology on him. Yeah! That's it! She meant
to do that. All it needed more was for her to call him red chicken again.

For once, Neelkan actually tries to dodge the log, but it still catches a
little bit of his head, but not as much as it would have. He yells
unchecked now, obviously furious, "I don't care if it's dangerous, Aidou!!
I don't want it! 'n besides, if it's too flamin' dangerous f'r me!? 'en
it's far too flamin' dangerous f'r ya! Yer not goin' in 'ere, ya 'ear!? If
ya do I'll... I'll..." He trails off and reaches to grab the rings from her
hands, trying to take them away.

Aidou meeps and tries to keep a hold of the rings. "Shun'u stop it! Kaomi
gave them to me!" She manages to hold onto one end of them, tugging to try
and pull them out of his grip. (Just hope they don't break!) "Why don' ya
wanna go?" Yes, all this aggravation is bringing out her own accent. "Ya
can' contradict Mother's orders!" She should just channel and get this over
with, and she probably will if he ends up with the rings, but she doesn't
want to risk punishment just yet. "Wh're ya always so-" ack! She almost
cursed herself. Bad bad! "stubborn! 'sides! Ya'll go 'ere anyway even if ya
don' trie to, so ya might as well learn!" Wait, wait, she didn't want him
going there in the first place. Why is she trying to convince him? Well..
maybe if he doesn't go Kaomi won't let her either.

Instead of playing tug of war with the rings he lets them go and spins
around as if he wants to punch his fist through the pigeon cages. Which he
does. But he resists himself and just glares at the birds as if it's all
their fault. Neelkan doesn't turn around as he says harshly, "I just don't
want t'! D'ya have any bloody idea... Light, Aidou! Ya know better 'en
anyone." She lived with him all those years. She knows about how he would
wake up screaming, or crying, or kicking himself off the bed as if he was
fighting something. He doesn't know what the World of Dreams is like, but
if it's /anything/ like the Dreamers dreams, then he doesn't want it. In
fact, during the seminar on dreaming, he was probably the only person in
history who wondered if there was a way to get /rid/ of it. He growls, then
settles down enough to ask softly, "Yer gonna go in 'ere no matter what I
say, aren't ya?"

Aidou jumps a little at this display of anger and actually lets some
concern creep into her eyes. She stumbles back a little as he lets go, and
the rings nearly go flying, but she manages to hold on. "Brother..." she
says softly. "I know, a'right? I don' like tha dreams I've 'ad any better
than.." well.. they both know so they don't really need to go into it. She
doesn't have any white streaks to show for it though. "But ya can learn to
control it!" Rarely does she actual pout, but she pouts at him now. Not as
a female trick but because he's really upset, and she doesn't like it any
better than he does, but that's not going to stop her from using this
gift/curse? she's been given. "And ya can learn ta interpret the dreams, 'n
'help people 'cause you'll know the future. 'Sides! Tel'aran'rhiod isn' tha
same thing!" Ack! She's pleading with him! Can't have that. So when he asks
if she's going to go in anyway she crosses her arms across her chest and
gets a very stubborn look on her face, "yup." So put that in your pipe and
smoke it.

Gift? Espi tried to convince him it was a gift, and he was almost
convinced. But hearing that his sister has it too just pisses him off. Why
can't he just have something that's all /his?/ He snorts loudly and mutters
under his breath, "Light, Mai 'n Jiang prolly can d' it too! Whole flamin'
family of Dreamers. Would 'at just be bloody perfect." He trails off in an
angry growl, still with his back to his sister, so it doesn't matter that
she's assumed that 'I'm not budging' woman's pose that women are /so/ good
at. "I don't want t' know the future, Aidou. I can't believe 'at 'ere is
one set course of thin's. I just can't. Wheel Weaves 'r whate'er, but it
doesn't control m'." Probably a good time to make a comment on men right
about now. When he does finally turn, he still looks angry, teeth clenched
and eyes narrow and dark, and then says, "Fine. If yer gonna go 'en, 'en I
will too. Someone has t' make sure ya can go home in one piece once yer
done playin' at bein' an Aes Sedai." What? Believe his sister might
actually make it? Never...

He is SO close to getting bapped again. Just because he's- he's- he's just
totally contradicting himself! He doesn't want it, but then he's mad 'cause
she has it too 'cause he wants to be the only one who has it?? She is
-this- close, and the only thing that stops her, is that he's already
clearly traumatized. But that never stopped her before. But.. well.. she
can't really explain it. Aidou hmphs. "So good of ya t' -grace- us with yer
presence." She's angry too, angry at him for being angry oddly enough, and
angry at herself for being angry, and it's just a big downward spiral.
"Wha'd ya wan' from m'?! Not t' be able t' channel?? Well -sorry- Shun'u
but 'at's jus' not somethin' I can do! And I can," grrrrr, "take care of
myself!" She -almost- throws the ring at him, but stops herself just in
time. It's a ter'angreal after all. So she thrusts her hand out with the
ring in it. "We 'ave a week ta-" ahem. "We -have- a week -to- return the
rings. So we don't have to do it tonight."

Grrrrrr. Neelkan just outright glares at her as she seems to be mad. Yes!
He'd like it very much if she couldn't channel. Last thing he needs is more
women who can channel in his life. He never wanted to have anything to do
with his family ever again, and just when he was starting to feel good
about his position in the Tower, she has to drop out of the sky -- logs and
all! -- and make his life a living nightmare again. He takes the ring and
looks at it, calming down a littl bit before saying in a half yell, "I
don't want anythin' from ya 'cept t' go home 'n stay 'way from m'." She
blamed herself for him running off, and he did his best not to think at all
on it, or home. "'n I've done 'is longer 'n ya, so in the dream place, I'm
the boss, ya 'ear?! It's got nothin' t' do with channelin', so just cause
ya can, don't think ya can boss m' 'round." Um... He's going to try to take
charge? ... Sorry, but he isn't Shun'u anymore... add a little height, a
little weight, two years without women bossing him around too often, a few
more white streaks, and a lot more fire. Not that he wasn't a fiery guy
before, just not as much.

Aidou just stands there like he slapped her in the face. After all she went
through! After all her worrying about him! And this is the thanks she
gets!? And then he insults her further by thinking he can boss her around?
She stakes a step back, looking up at him in horror. "Ya ungrateful...
bra'! Do-" She cuts herself off firmly. She was going to ask if he knew how
worried about him she was, but.. she just can't allow herself to say
something like that. She doesn't know why it's just... wierd to show
affection like normal people do. "Fine! I'll jus' stay 'way from ya 'en! Oh
don' min' 'er. 'at's jus' m' SISTER, 'o I don' wan' a be part o' m' life
anymore!! Oh don' pay any min' t' Aidou. She jus' 'elped RAISE m'. Bu' 'o
cares 'bout stuff like 'at anymore? Fine -Neelkan- I'll jus' ge' ou' 'f yer
life now. Ya'll never even know I'm 'ere!" She whirls on her heel and
absolutely storms towards the stairs down to the rest of the Tower. She's
-not- crying though. He can go ahead and be a sap if he wants to, but how
much more of a weakness would it be if she actually let any tears fall. If
she were anything resembling normal she would be though.

Neelkan blinking silently is the only reaction he gives to her losing his
temper. He's used to it after all, but this isn't exactly how she usually
loses her temper at all... Throwing things, calling him names... He doesn't
seem to understand, which isn't too much of a surprise, he rarely does when
women are involved. Then she starts to stalk off and he opens his mouth for
a moment, going to yell at her to stop, but he knows that won't work.
She'll just turn around and throw something at him, and he would probably
have deserved it. He doesn't know she worried about him. Why should she?
She always treated him like something to laugh at, or to thump over the
head. She cares about him? That would come as a real shock. Instead of
yelling after her he moves forward quickly and snags her elbow. He is
pretty fast after all. And he hates women because they /always/ make him
chase after them. It pisses him off. Why should he do all the chasing!?
"Hold on one bloody minute. I a'ready said 'at I'm goin' in 'ere with ya,
'n ya haven't e'en told m' what in the Light we're supposed t' do." No.
He's not going to apologize or tell her not to stay away from him.

Eh? She's walking, but she's not moving anywhere. She looks down at her
feet. Yes, they're moving, but the stairs down aren't getting any closer.
Oh, the hand on her elbow might be the problem so she looks back at him and
tries to yank it out of his grip, but it's a rather half-hearted yank...
like secretly she doesn't really want to go, but it's a secret she keeps
from herself. "Lemme go! No! Ya wan't nothin' t' do with m'! I'll jus' tell
Mother ya won' do i'!" There's no -way- she's going to let him come try and
babysit her in Tel'aran'rhiod, especially not after what he just said. It
doesn't help that she can't tell him why she's so upset either. Finally the
small part of her that was hanging on let's go and she whips out on of her
logs, aiming a painful thump for his head. "Now lemm' go!!"

Taking the thump to the head with no attempt to dodge, Neelkan flinches
visably at the pain, and there will definately be a bruise, and it caught
some skin in the roughness and there is a little blood as well, but he
doesn't release his grip at all. There's another thing different. He's a
/lot/ stronger then he used to be. He gives her a little shake as best he
can and yells down at her, "I'm goin', 'n don't think I'm not! I a'ready
got the ring, so I can go without ya if I want t'." He waves the ring in
his other hand near her face before snatching the hand back down as if
expecting her to try and take it. "Tell m' what I'm supposed t' do with
'is. I'm goin' with ya whether ya want m' t' 'r not, /Aidou/."

Aidou is.. for once a little overwhelmed. Maybe he really isn't her
brother... She does try to snatch the ring from him, but he's a lot faster
than he used to be, and she's grown soft from not having a little brother
to torment. "Go in withou m' 'n I'll- I'll string ya up by yer toenails!!"
Oh yes, just -wait- till she's Accepted, then they'll be on an even playing
field again (which of course means tilted in her favor. That's the way it's
supposed to be, right?) Oh Light... she quickly puts the log away and eyes
the blood trickling down onto his forhead. She didn't mean to do that but..
but.. he was asking for it! "I won't tell ya! 'f yer such a -man- now, why
don'cha jus' figure i' out for yerself!"

Blood trinkling down his forhead is caught in his eyebrow, as it isn't
really all that much. Just a small bit of broken skin. The bruise is the
part that he's worried about. And the headache later. But he's grown partly
immune to head wounds, thanks to his sister. Neelkan doesn't let go of her
elbow and shakes her again. "I'll go where e'er I bloody want t' go, 'n I'd
like t' see ya try t' ... 'string m' up by m' toenails.'" He gives her
elbow a shake as if to remind her that not only is he grown two years and a
few inches, he's now a lot stronger then he used to be. Even if she can
still club him over the head.

The Wheel seems to choose this particular moment in time to weave
Denn'ryiel onto the rooftop. The Sedai is wearing a cape that she closes in
around her as soon as she reaches the colder air. As she turns she spots
Neelkan, holding a novice's elbow and shaking her. "Neelkan, what are you
doing to that poor novice?" she asks, in surprise. The young man has always
shown more restraint than that.

And it's a good thing Denn said something because Aidou was about to
embrace and show him that she had no problems -trying- to string him up. In
an instant her anger melts (or seem to anyway) and she smiles oh so sweetly
at Denn, elbow being held, and just having been shaken and all. The log
quickly disappears. "Oh! Denn'ryiel Sedai! I would curtsy but some
barbarian seems to be restraining me." Her accent disappears too as she
dons the 'sweet Aidou' mask.

Glaring down at the girl despite the fact that he usually shows more
restraint, Neelkan doesn't look at Denn'ryiel as he mutters, "I'm showin'
'er 'at she doesn't have a choice in the matter we're discussin'. Isn't 'at
right, Aidou?" That may not sound very good, and then he releases her elbow
finally and turns to look at Denn, the blood escaping his eyebrow and
starting to trickle down his cheek now. He softens a little and reaches up
with his hand to brush off the blood from his cheek. Too bad scalp wounds
bleed pretty bad. Hopefully Denn won't fuss over it.

Denn'ryiel appears to be taken in pretty well by Aidou at least until she
hears Neelkan mention her name. "And what matter would this be?" she asks
Neelkan, fixing on him and his head wound. Of course she's going to notice
that. She raises her eyebrow as she awaits an answer from the trainee.

The facade of sweetness fades at her brother's words and she jerks back
from him, but he was already releasing her. See if she cares about the
blood! He doesn't care how she feels, so why should she? She has a mind to
throw the log at his head again, but the presence of an Aes Sedai restrains
her. When she looks back to Denn though she is all smiles and sweetness
again. "It's a little exercise Mother gave me, that she wanted Sh-" She
stiffens visibly and narros her eyes a little at the air before saying
through gritted teeth, "Neelkan, to help me with. He's mad because I won't
let him take over and run the show." She flutters her eyelashes at the
white streak haired trainee, though her smile is more sour than sweet. She
tucks the ring she had in her hand into her pouch, and then remembers
herself and curtsies to the Sedai. She's not going to try and wrestly his
ring from him though.. not here, and now anyway...

Neelkan growls at his sister and then shrugs lightly, agreeing with what
she said. At least she remembered that his name is /Neelkan/ now. Perhaps
there's hope for her yet. He reaches down to wipe the blood off on his sash
at his waist and then brings up one of the long dangling ends and reaches
up to wipe off more from up there. He does correct the novice though, "I
don't want to take o'er really. I just think 'at I'm more /qualified/ t'."
Grrr. She may be older, but... but... but... He's the guy!

Denn'ryiel looks more curious at that. "Really? What does this exercise
help with?" she asks, turning towards Aidou. If these siblings do squabble,
it might be best to interject before Aidou has a chance to reply to
Neelkan's 'more /qualified/.' "Perhaps I could help settle this dispute."

Aidou opens her mouth to snap -Shun'u's- head off (she just can't call him
that 'cause.. 'cause.. sniff, he told her to go home! and that he wanted
her to leave him alone! That's now how you're supposed to treat your big
sister!) but thankfully Denn cuts her off. She glances down and then over
at the Sedai. "I have the Dreaming Talent, and Mother gave me two rings to
help someone enter the Dream, and told me to give one to him and that we
were supposed to go in together to learn more about our talents." Oops, was
she not supposed to say that? Actually she did it on purpose because he's
realling PISSING her OFF! But alas, it's all in vain since the Sedai
already knows. "But he doesn't want to. I ask you, why should I got into
Tel'aran'rhiod with someone who doesn't even want me to be here?" As if she
-could- leave the Tower! :P Ok, so she's not being entirely coherent, but
she still doesn't have her head entirely on her shoulders.

If there were anyone else besides Denn in listening range when Aidou
blurted that out, Neelkan would have slapped her. Despite his reluctence to
hurt a woman or not. He would have done it. He's still pissed at her
because she must have been the one to tell Kaomi about it, and he would
rather not have anyone know at all. He's only told three people, and he'd
rather it not get blurted out for everyone to hear. He glares at her and
grumbles, "So 'at is what 'is does." He shoves the ring into his sash for
safe keeping and then glares at her again, "'n I /am/ goin' with ya, blood
'n ashes. It has nothin' t' do with wishin' ya weren't here."

Denn'ryiel frowns as she hears this news. "Neither of you should be going
anywhere in Tel'aran'rhiod. Not without someone trained in doing so there
to oversee you. Either one of you leading the other would be the blind
leading the blind." Yes, she does take the authority of a Sedai from time
to time. "I also would not mention those rings again. Or I would take them
to one of the browns. Most here don't believe students should be touching
Ter'angreal until they are Accepted, at least."

Aidou just blinks a couple times at Denn. "Denn'ryiel Sedai.. The -Amyrlin
Seat- gave me those rings, and -told- me to take my bro- Neelkan into
Tel'aran'rhiod. Surely you aren't suggesting I disobey those orders?" Even
though she suggested it herself, by saying he wasn't going to take him.
"They belong to her and I don't think she would appreciate my giving them
to anyone else." She's not trying to be a goody two shoes or anything,
she's just astonished that anyone would suggest going against the order of
Mother... apparently oblivious to her own crime in that area... Oh! she has
the perfect idea! She turns to Neelkan and smiles at him.. and it.. -seems-
genuine enough... "So, are you coming with me or not?" She's just going to
ignore his trying to take charge, and act like it was all her idea to begin
with (which it was actually, but the whole thing has gotten spun around and
turned on it's head it all the confusion.)

Huh!? Neelkan blinks and looks down at Aidou as she suddenly does an about
face on the subject. Figures. She's a woman. He lets out a grumble and
shrugs, "I said I was, didn't I?" Then he looks at Denn and says, "I'm sure
'at we can handle thin's b' ourselves, 'r Kaomi wouldn't've give 'is bratty
sister of mine a ter'angreal." He already has one ter'angreal. No reason
/he/ can't be trusted with another. So he isn't worried about himself here.
He's still mad that she /obviously/ had to be the one to tell 'Mother'
about his dreams. Who's she gonna blurt it to next? The Red Sister that
dragged her to the Tower? Then she might try to gentle him!

Denn'ryiel frowns at Aidou as she explains. "I assumed you meant your other
Mother. So I am to believe that the -Amyrlin Seat- handed you not one but
two ter'angreal, and told you to explore T'A'R with your brother alone,
even though neither of you has any experience there and are likely to get
yourselves seriously hurt or killed?"

Alright... normally she's very respectful, but now Denn is afronting her
honor, and -- in her mind -- calling her a liar. She draws herself up to
her full height (which is about half a head shorter than Neelkan) and looks
the Sedai in the eye. "That, is exactly what I'm saying. You are welcome to
ask her if you wish." She snaps at Neelkan out of the corner of her mouth,
without removing her gaze from Denn though she does turn her head a little.
"What bratty sister? I don't see any sister of yours here. They're all back
-home- remember?" There. She finally dropped the hint about why she's so
mad. Not that he'll get it, clueless as he is. "And for your information I
can -make- ter'angreal, so you'd better get used to the idea of me having
them." But why, if she's going to avoid him from now on? Well... as usual
what she says and what she does are hardly going to be one and the same.
She'll likely pretend to bump into him by 'accident' and give him all
shades of a hard time, but that's nothing new.

Make them!? She can /make/ them!? Neelkan doesn't want to think of her
being able to make them. Guess she hasn't noticed that his earrings happen
to be ter'angreal yet, has she. He shakes his head and mutters under his
breath then grabs onto his Sister's arm and says, "Let's go downstairs."
While he drags her along he says, "'n ya can go t' yer bed, 'n I'll go t'
mine, 'n we'll meet in 'is Tel'aran'whate'er, a'right? I've read a book on
it, so let's meet at home. In our old room 'ere. Just think 'bout the
place. 'r 'at's what the book said at least, a'right?" Better to get her as
far away from Denn as possible. He wants her to like Denn after all, since
he's already promised to be her warder when he finishes his training.

Nope, the earings haven't been noticed yet. She just knows she can make
them, she doesn't actually have any experience in doing so... kind of like
she knows she is a Dreamer but doesn't actually remember entering TAR.
Blink. Blink. He wants her to like Denn? That would very much surprise the
jilted sister since she thinks he wants absolutely nothing whatsoever to do
with her at the moment. "Tel'aran'rhiod," she says, sticking her finger
under his nose as if she was the expert on the subject here. Alright,
alright, sometimes he can talk some sense, but that doesn't mean she has to
admit it! But.. she really can't think of a better idea. "Fine, but if you
go -anywhere- without me..." she doesn't finish the threat though. This
time she does try to jerk her arm away with some amount of force. In fact
if he was in the mind to he could probably let go and watch her fall flat
on her bum, but that would be -so- mean... but maybe she deserves it.

Neelkan's hand doesn't waver on it's hold, and he keeps moving towards the
stairs down, "Same back at ya, 'sis'." So much for saying all his sisters
are back home. He wishes they all were, but she is still his sister. She
doesn't know that he actually yelled at Espi over her, telling her not to
treat her bad, or order her to be nice to her brother. He knows good and
well, that even if she were ordered she would not change her mind about
him. And he doesn't like anyone telling anyone how to think. So he wasn't
going to let Espi tell his sister how to think. "'n Denn was just worried
'bout our well bein', she wasn't insultin' ya." He really wants her to like
Denn.

Grrrrrr... just.. just.. grrrr! No, she doesn't know, and it would actually
touch her heart to hear it, but then she'd have to get mad at him for
sticking up for her 'cause she doesn't -need- sticking up for! She's not a
helpless -female- like he seems to think. Shouldn't growing up with 6
dominiring women have taught him that? She can take care of herself! "Ye'h
ye'h." She slips back into the accent a little as they get out of earshot
of the Sedai. "She jus'... caught m' a' a bad time..." (of the month?)
Thump! She's still mad at him.. but strangely enough it's not lasting.
Maybe it had something to do with being called sis. And she's not blind,
she can tell that he's trying to raise Denn up in her eyes, which probably
helps even more. Wait, wait, just how many women does Neelkan -have- up
here?? (Well... ok, have probably isn't the right word...) She glances at
him sidelong, her look part incredulity.. part mischieviousness. "Shun'u,
ya're gonna 'ave a lot of explainin' t' do..." just.. not right now. It can
wait.

Explaining? What kind of explaining? He pauses in his dragging of his
sister and then says angerly, "I don't have t' 'xplain anythin'." He shrugs
his shoulders, but then lets curiousity take over and he asks, "What did ya
want 'xplained anyway?" Not that he's going to explain it! He shrugs his
shoulders again sheepishly and lets go of her arm before she jerks it
again. No need to let go while she jerks it. He doesn't want her to fall,
even if he /is/ bleeding because of her.

She didn't mean to make him bleed! But she's too distracted by.. other
things to stay mad at him really. She smiles enigmatically and leans up to
look in the eye, nearly nose to nose with him. "You like Denn'ryiel Sedai
too don't you?" Isn't it annoying how she just kind of sees right through
him and -knows-? "So how many other girls -are- there? My brother's all
grown up!" She just has to take pride in that and tickle him for it. But
then she thinks of something and loom over him (inexplicably, considering
she's shorter) "you haven't done anything with any of them have you?" And
oh yes, she will make him bleed on PURPOSE this time if she finds out that
he has. After all, if she doesn't even like him cursing.. how much worse
would it be if he'd...

Eyes widen and he flushes brightly and looks away towards the stairs down
from the roof. At first, it might be disguised as anger, because he yells,
"If course I'm all grown up! What did ya 'xpect m' t' be!?" But that
doesn't answer the question. Neelkan fingers at his sash as he gets to the
questions. "I.. ye'h. I like Denn too. I... like 'em both. 'n 'at's it. As
soon as I finish m' trainin'... I'm gonna be Denn's Warder." He flushes
even more admiting that, then says in response to his sister's question,
letting his flush drop down to normal, "'n 'at's none of yer business. I
don't ask if yer doin' anythin' with the trainees, do I?"

Ok, now it's her turn to blush. "Well ya a'ready -know- the answer t' 'at,
so ya don' 'ave t' ask." Of -course- she'd never do anything like that!
SCREEEEEEEEEEECH! Hold up! He's evading the question. "I' is so m'
business!! I'm yer sister!" Except that she really -doesn't- want to know
the answer to that question. Though actually she's not all that surprised.
It just confirms her reasoning in being overbearing and trying to protect
him from things like that in the first place. As soon as she turns her
back... sigh, what are young men these days coming to? "Ne'ermind! I don'
e'en wanna 'tink 'bout i'!" So she won't.. she'll just.. focus on something
else. She glances at him sidelong again and asks softly, "what does
Denn'ryiel Sedai think of how you feel about Espi?"

All he's done is kiss Denn. He hasn't even done more then hugged Espi.
Though he kissed her hair and forehead once. Neelkan looks a little
flustered when she asks how Denn feels about it, then he says, "I told 'er
how I felt 'bout Espi, 'n I told 'er not t' tell 'er. 'n I'd appreciate it
if ya didn't either. I... I really do care 'bout Espi, but she's... got 'is
other guy who she likes." Which pisses him off to no end. "'n Denn said she
didn't like it, but 'ere's no helpin' it. I like 'em both, 'n 'at's 'at."
He shakes his head and adds, "G'night." and quickly moves towards the steps
down, fleeing more questions and mockings.