Not really expecting the woman to do much talking in spite her many questions, Akira was still nevertheless relieved that Rafaela opted to untie her. If their places had been switched, she would’ve been more hesitant to let someone with the power to bend and move metal with her mind have her way. “Oh, man, you just did me a solid,” she murmured in thanks, feebly opening and closing her hands to get her blood circulating. Still, when she tried sitting up properly, she found that she didn’t have the energy just yet. Maybe the sedatives hadn’t completely worn off yet.<br/><br/>Still, she forced her lethargic body into an upright position against the headboard as she listened to Rafaela make the deal. Seeing the woman in the delicate yellow dress and calm demeanor was the total opposite of the impression she had first made, and Aki found herself staring. She and Kire had been introduced the same way to each other, with one dropping in to rescue the other, but even when Kire wasn’t dressed in her warrior’s apparel, she had the sharpness and hardness of metal in her demeanor. But, either way, Akira knew that such shifts in personality—or non-shifting, in Kire’s case—were all deliberate choices. If Rafaela wanted to throw her off, she was, to some degree, successful.<br/><br/>“Seems fair,” Akira replied, this time staring at the hospital room. Just like what little glimpses of the city she had before passing out, it was a strange mix of an older sensibility and more modern technology. More familiar than medieval Amria, yet all the more foreign from Earth, too. She listened as Rafaela explained that the other woman—Hortence, apparently—was doing well. So, at least she knew that the two women were acquaintances. But what sort of acquaintances, Akira couldn’t tell yet. She couldn’t read any malice from the way Rafaela said it, but no love there, either. “That’s good to know,” she mumbled, before pondering on Rafaela’s questions.<br/><br/>To answer her, she raised her right hand so the woman could see the sapphire ring on her finger. “This little shit,” she said with a smirk. “I’m kinda new to the portal thing, so I’m not sure if I messed-up the summoning, or something from this side pulled me to it, or a combination of both. As for where I’m from…” Aki’s voice trailed off, wondering what—or<span style="font-style: italic">how</span>, exactly—to tell her. Sighing, she met the woman’s gaze, figuring that she didn’t have much on her side except the truth at the moment. “Technically, I came from a world called Earth. It has places like this, and technology like this, but, uh, not quite. Not as advanced, I suppose. I’m not so sure anymore, since it’s been four years since I had left that world. Where I had come from before today is a world called Amria. No tech, just magic here and there, and castles and shit.” Aki cringed. “Did anything I say even remotely make sense?”