RP:Take Control of that Damned Spot

From HollowWiki

Part of the Time Heals All Wounds Arc


This is a Healer's Guild RP.


Synopsis: The druid Kailani comes to visit Penelope in hopes of seeking to help Penelope’s kindred spirit blossom, though moods change when the eeriness fills up the shop. Bad timing. Something has shaken the Ardelian, but the healer is willing to open herself to the idea of learning more about fire and how to control it. Kailani suggests the desert outside of Gualon, and although Penelope is hesitant, Kailani makes it clear to stay away from the heart of the desert.

Halifax Roots

The aftermath was one of the unexpected. Linken was gone and sunk into the void that the twin spirit warned her about. Two children were left in her hands to care for that were not in her blood—nor Linken’s. Orphans. Adopted. Not like the two children did not have a place in the Ardelian’s heart, but the load had been heavy to carry. A twin sibling that was deceased had risen permanently and Penelope was left with pieces that she had to come home with. What was home, however? Was it the studio building with the shop beneath or the old cottage where she watched her brother die? The same brother standing in the room before her. Seeing Kellin’s face again made her uneasy, for what was grief and mourn before was suddenly solid and stability after what night changed her. All the carcasses cursed by tainted hands had risen again. It was like Penelope was lucid and dreaming the nightmare that unraveled before her the couple nights prior. In the back corner of the shop is a man who is taller by almost a foot from Penelope. His hair tint is the same. The texture wavy. His skin matches the olive, lightly freckled texture, and eyes reflect the green earth that grows through the trunks of trees. Penelope’s eyes on a man’s face. An identical face to the girl who scrubs the tinted floor before her. Pakellin Halifax. Alive and well. Cotton brown flowy pants and a white cotton t-shirt to cover the bandages over raw scars. The room is silent, and although the shop is labelled “closed”, the door is open to let the clean air in.


The reason for Kailani's visit is simple, for the last these two ladies met they had vaguely spoken of lessons. Not just lessons in healing, but it has been made clear to the blue-haired woman that Penelope could very well have druidic abilities in need of honing. It is a subject that they have not followed up on, which is what brings Kailani here today. Were Kailani a customer, she might have actually paid more heed to the 'closed' sign but she is not here to make a purchase, she's just a friendly face dropping in for a visit. Now, maybe if the front door of the shop were shut, Kailani would have heeded the sign. It's not. It's open as plain as day and so the druid attempts to set foot within the shop. She does not get very far though, her feet bring her to a halt in the frame of the door and armored knuckles are knocked against the frame. Alas, Kailani is not entirely aware of Penelope's plights or backstory, so there is no shock when she finds two identical faces within the same shop. She does, however, pick up on how tensely silent things are, it does give her the distinct impression this is not a good time. Except she is here now, her presence has already been announced, it's be even more awkward to just turn around and leave...tempting but awkward.


Penelope has her face buried in the wood. “It’s clean as it can be, Penelope,” the Ardelian male echoes in the same reflective accent as the petite woman on the floor. “It’s darker than the rest of the wood,” her tone is flat and the bristles keep scraping. Just the sound of scraping, scrubbing wood. Then, the footsteps. The healer stops abruptly and pushes the scrub forward to create distance for herself, “Don’t you know how to re—Kailani,” the freckled woman blinks at the one with the blue hair. Kellin is already on the move to escort Kailani out, but Penelope reaches out a hand to stop the man before he attempts to get closer to the druid. The healer stands. Moss eyes look tired with dark shade underneath from the lack of sleep. “What a surprise. Did you get the news? Miss Emilia has returned.” She was not sure why Kailani appeared before her, for her mind was so congested, and well, Leon was in a distant part of her brain. The search party was the last time she saw the druid.


Kailani tries to forget the search party. She was not exactly pleased with that day, the plan, the mermaids, the outcome, none of it. The fact that she is met with some fiery words from Penelope and Pakellin seems quite intent on showing Kailani out only confirms that she has not arrived at a good time. It seems that she never really does, despite having good intentions with each visit. It serves as a reminder of how much work socializing can be, only to be met with...? For the most part, Kailani's reaction is fairly level headed in that she does not even acknowledge the first portion of Penelope's comment. Pakellin is shot a bit of a warning glance, for he better not attempt to put a hand on her while trying to escort her out. That seems neither here nor there, Penelope stops him before that situation could escalate. The hermitish woman calculates exactly what she wants to say before speaking next, the tone of her voice even. "I did," she answers Penelope about Emilia. "But Emilia is not why I came. Though it is clear to me that my timing is no good. I am interrupting."


Penelope does not deny that Kailani has stopped at an unreasonable period, but when would there be? There is a pause, but the Ardelian eases her shoulders slightly. Time. Her mind flash to a series of colors before she blinks back into reality. The warping of time. “Well, let’s make this good timing, shall we?” The frizzy-haired healer tries to say this lightly while she grips onto those threads of grace. She was still trying to make the right choices of giving people the benefit. “Tell me,” she would gesture the woman to come inside more before making her way to behind the counter. A security. In the meantime, Kel walks to plant himself on the staircase to the right of the room. “Can I get you anything? Water? Tea? An herb? What made you pay the visit?” Her frame slides into a stool behind the counter.


Kailani made her way further into the establishment with hesitation. This time the hesitation was not just born of the druid's dislike for the confines of four walls, it was the demeanor of twins. They were on guard, which made Kailani just a little bit on edge, which translated to the druid being just a bit fidgety. It was not the druid's limbs that were twitchy though, but her gaze. They kept flitting back and forth between the twins in a very analytical fashion. Penelope was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, so the hermit attempts to put her best foot forward, despite her taciturn nature. "No need for water or tea.." A pause. "I came to see you," Kailani says somewhat flatly, for she had thought at least that much had been obvious. "First and foremost to see how you were doing, but secondly because based on past encounters...I had thought I had sensed a bit of a kindred spirit with you." Another wary glance is sent toward Pakellin as Kailani lifts her own hand toward her waist, palm held up so that a flame can manifest in Kailani's grasp. "I had hopes of trying to get to know you more." The flames will not remain in existence for long and the druid's hand finds a resting place by her side again. "But again, it is clear to me my timing is off and perhaps I should learn to let you try your hand at seeking me out." Or not. Perhaps the feeling is not mutual, as if the hermit could take serious offense.


Penelope keeps her gaze as steady as she can on Kailani, however, she cannot help but notice the discomfort. All three of them were now off-balance. As the flame flickers in Kailani’s palm, the girl’s eyes reflect the light of the flame. A nerve strikes the Ardelian, though it was not negative. The healer, instead, stands up again to near Kailani, but keeping a comfortable distance between them. The flames die out. “Kellin,” eyes skim the room to rest on the twin’s gaze. “I need you to go tend to Aeric and Alexia. Please,” she releases. The male twin does not hesitate, for the bond between the two had been estranged the past couple of days. Her moss gaze lingers on Kailani until Kellin is all the way out the door. The room atmosphere lightens a little, but something is still off-putting. “You asked how I was doing. I’d be lying through my teeth if I said anything of the bright, but I’ll spare details.” She breaks the distance again. “I think you are the opposite of the timing you speak of. I’ve lit fields on fire because I had nowhere to start and all have been out of anger—fury. Pure hatred I never knew I had.” Pause. “I do have the properties to be in touch with certain elements. They say that I inherited to be able to be in touch with fire and earth. My brother, Kel, who just left—water and air. However, I don’t want something to be fueled by such rage. Fire isn’t rage… is it?” Her expression looks a bit distant. “It wouldn’t hurt to actually have control of something.”


Kailani seems to be a little bit less on guard when Pakellin leaves the room, but if that is because there is one less person to the crowd or because Penelope's demeanor towards Kailani shifts...? Well it's probably both, honestly. The blue-haired woman dips her head in a nod when Penelope explains how she is. Kailani herself would be lying if it was not obvious that something was amiss, even the most socially awkward could not that Penelope was tired to the point that it had darkened her eyes. The druid does not press the subject either, for she and Penelope were really just only getting to know one another. "Some like to associate fire with rage...or passion, that is just a personification. The element of fire itself is not rage, just essential to the existence of the world. For you, rage is the catalyst that is allowing you to tap into your to the energies that allow you to bend fire to your will. It's not all that uncommon, to be honest, emotions causing such responses. I would like to see if we could perhaps work on teaching you to control it...But we would have to select a better setting." Lest Penelope be responsible for the Great Fire of Kelay-Sage. "...And I think you should be better rested." Said in earnest, for a tired mind really would not suit Penelope. "Would you be willing to accompany me to...say...the deserts of Gualon at some point in the near future?" If Penelope sets the sands on fire, she'd just make some really cool glass.


Penelope could not help but let out a dry smirk. “Of course I’m one of those clichés one would read in a storybook.” There is a faint smile, but one to say the least. It vanishes easily due to the tiredness in her gaze. Her gaze sort of traces the room at Kailani’s mention of a better setting, and rest. Rest was hard to come by, for a multitude of reasons. “I guess I would like to not burn this place to the ground, huh?” The freckled Ardelian then closes her eyes before nodding in agreement. “I understand. The more rested, the better focus.” Her head then cants as her eyes open again. “The deserts of Gualon…” Leaving home. Journeying into the unknown. There is a fidget in her hands as fingers begin to tap against her thigh. There was hesitance written on her face, but she was with the druid. The druid who was capable of control. The one who dove into the sea to save a mermaid. Travelling had not been so bad before, right? Besides, the adventure was for benefitting her abilities. The answer was in front of her. Put on the brave face and go. A nod finally gives in. “Yes, yes. I think we can manage a trip to Gualon. It’ll get me out of Kelay, anyway, and perhaps on the way back, I can let you go and pay Edith a visit. She’s been wanting to see me for quite some time, actually, and taking a little getaway might not be a horrible thing.” After the lesson, she could stay in Gualon for a few days just to take a break away. It would work out nicely. Plus, who would deny cool glass?


Kailani's lips twist up into a rare but full smile. Normally these are quick to vanish, but this one lingers on the druid's lips for a good few seconds. "It is settled then. I will linger in the area," the area being Kelay-Sage, "..so that I am not dreadfully hard to locate. You can leave word at the Sanctum of the Divine once you have made your preparations...And we will set out together and see what we can learn on this trip." Kailani was a nomad by heart, even if she has taken a liking to the Chartsend/Venturil area, the druid will never shy away to traveling somewhere new. Still, Kailani could pick up on Penelope's nervousness based on her own fidgeting. For a hermit, she was doing a good job at picking up on these social cues. "I promise that we will not go too far into the heart of the desert." The druid let's blue eyes travel toward the door, "For now though, I will let you to your cleaning, perhaps to get some rest...and to get your affairs in order..." The mention of cleaning has Kailani looking toward the ground, as if trying to ascertain just what exactly Penelope was trying to scrub-scrub-scrub away at prior to her interruption.


Penelope nods. “I will leave word. Shouldn’t be long.” Especially since Kailani would be waiting on her. Kailani’s next comment has the fidgeting come to an easy. They would be closer to the city rather than the depths of the desert of what seems like endlessness. “Thank you. That’d really… help.” Moss eyes watch her blue eyes trail to the ground where would be larger darker stains. Penelope had already cleaned most of the blood instantly when she had stepped foot into the shop a day or so prior. The crimson had sunken deeply into the wood, but the scrubbing with water and soap had left the floor a darker brown in those places. “Right,” the girl finds herself staring at the ground where all she could see is… mess. Mess that Kailani would see as darkly stained places of wood. “Take care. I’ll see you soon. And… be careful.” Why would she have to? There would be no reason. The entity was gone, but that did not mean Penelope Halifax wouldn’t still remain paranoid. The girl would lean down to grab the soap-filled bucket in a nodding off departure towards the blue-haired woman.


Kailani has lived long enough to be able to speculate what might have stained the wood in such a way. "Some stains can never be removed, you might drive yourself mad trying," the druid states on the way out. Penelope's warning was telling, but it did not communicate to the druid that she should be scared of something. What it told Kailani is that Penelope obviously was scared of something. All the more reason to linger closer to the Kelay-Sage area for the time. They don't need another healer's guild member kidnapped...or worse. With a final nod, Kailani is on her way for the evening.