RP: Under Pleasant Circumstances

Part of the Dissonance Theory arc

Summary: Rilla is recovering from her injuries from her initial trips to the Demon Archipelago in Vigilanti Semper when Kailani wanders inside and encourages her to take the job Lionel offered to get her in the door in the first place.

Kailani did not start her day out with the intention of showing up at this location. No, her day started with every intention of visiting the ocean -- mission accomplished. That was just a short walk from the location that she claimed as her residence. Her wandering of the beach brought her to a familiar river outlet, which she decided to follow upstream. Why not? There were few things that Kailani found to be more pleasant than nature, especially where water was involved. As she travelled upstream, she happened across a dock and a few fishing boats. Kailani does not remember this being here before the last time that she ventured up this way. How long ago was that? The druid furrows her brows as she ponders this question. Curiosity gets the better of her, and the druid ventures away from the building and toward the stone keep...and then inside. No one seemed to stop her, so the concern that she might be trespassing did not even cross her mind. That could be because it almost looked as though Kailani would fit right in. She was adorned in hardened and blackened leather armor and had some manner of pole-armed strapped to her back. Normally the moment the druid enters a building, a tension builds in her shoulders but it is absent today. The place had a very earthy feel to it, much to her surprise...but the druid could not help but approve of the color choice when it came to the decor. The druid stands in the middle of the main entrance, blue eyes slowly taking in the details.

Rilla certainly did not belong here, but she rarely belonged anywhere. This was just another place that she’d learned she could come and go from as she pleased. Whether because they were preoccupied or because she was helping was a whole other question. The young vampire was getting comfortable here, spending time under the care of their doctor had made her less anxious inside of these walls in particular and so she buried herself in books, eager for more information. She drew a slow breath and stood from her chair, placing the book she’d been reading on the table in front of her before she stretched. How long had she been sitting there? At a sound from outside the room, Rilla decided it was time for a walk. There were others here, but she needed to know who specifically that was, and there was only one way to do it. Poking her head out from the door, she looks side to side only to find no one in this corner. Emerging fully, the thin woman starts near-silently down the hallway, hesitating at a corner where she was almost certain she would find another person where she turned it. She pokes her head around the corner, dressed all in black from head to toe, leather leggings and a plain black shirt with leather straps cross-crossing it, sheaths and blades attached to each one. Clearing her throat, the redhead announces her presence. “Are you lost?” She asks softly, hesitant to approach, but this was not her place to defend. “I’m not likely to be much help, but -” Slender shoulders shrug as she watches the stranger with her cautious gaze.

Kailani meets Rilla's cautious gaze in kind, if only because the druid was not entirely certain if she was allowed be within this space to begin with. The blue-haired woman angles herself so that she is fully facing Rilla, but does not step forward to approach. "I am rarely lost..." Kailani answers, her lips twitching up into the faintest hint of a smirk but that expression does not remain on the stoic woman's lips for long. "...And yet at the same time, I do confess that I am not entirely sure where I am at the moment. What is this place?" With a gauntlet-covered hand, the druid gestures to the building that they currently stand within. While Kailani engages Rilla in conversation, she is also looking the vampire over. It's a purely analytical thing, pulling out important details like weaponry. The two women were total strangers, and while their chatter seemed amiable enough, the druid was a strong believer in being prepared and knowing one's surroundings. With the essentials about Rilla's person noted, blue-eyes focus back on her face. "And what is your name?"

Rilla’s lips curve into a smile at Kailani’s answer that is quickly shoved back down and controlled. She nods, toeing the ground with one booted foot as she watches the blue-haired woman carefully. The feeling of eyes on her always set her on edge, more so now as a vampire than when she was human. “This place? Vigilante Semper.” Rilla explains, tearing her eyes from the stranger to follow her motion, look around the spectacular place that she’d been crashing at. “Home of the Warriors Guild, although you’d expect it to be better defended.” A wicked smile pulls across her face before she can stop it, shifting her weight and pushing auburn curls back from her eyes with one pale hand. “I’m guessing that you didn’t break in, so their guards must have taken a conveniently timed break. Again.” Shaking her head, she laughs. It had been easy to break in the first few times she came here, though perhaps that was by design. The second question makes her hesitate, frozen for a beat as she debated lying, the corners of her eyes squinting to make a last-minute assessment. “Rilla,” she says finally, rocking back on her heels, “but I’m not from here either, just passing through. Who are you?”

The wicked smile that Rilla casts her way and the quip about the place being better defended is met with a shrug. "Well rest assured, I am not here to cause trouble. I have no intention of giving anyone reason to defend themselves." Nor was Kailani looking for a reason to defend herself. Rilla's comments are enough to inspire the druid to shift her gaze back toward the exit. The tension that the druid is prone to carrying between her shoulders manifests itself right about now. She was feeling at ease, up until the conversation shifted to defense, and now the druid is reminded of how she could easily be trapped within the building should things turn sour. For a moment, Kailani frowns. The conversation continues on, albeit more cautiously, "Well met, Rilla. My own name is Kailani." The druid gives pause, "And if one were curious about joining the Warrior's Guild. What would you say to them? What would you tell them the purpose is? Who would you encourage them to talk to?" Thanks Rilla planting that seed of paranoia in the back of Kailani's mind, the druid is hard pressed to keep her attention locked on Rilla's face. She's far too on guard now.

The shift in Kailani’s posture is carefully noted by Rilla who’s own form softens, that wicked smile disappearing in favour of a more hesitant gaze. “It’s not exactly my business anyway, not to worry.” She waves a hand, trying desperately to dispel the tension that built (that she almost certainly was the cause of). She takes a step back, considering her own options given the situation. This was why she preferred to be outside. “A pleasure, Kailani, I’m sure.” Giving a polite nod, she offers a more muted, cautious smile. It had been so long since she stayed anywhere with four walls and a roof, nevermind something of this size. “Hmm, I’m definitely the wrong person to ask about that too.” Her words come with a laugh as she shakes her head. “I’ve gathered that it’s Khitti in charge while Lionel is indisposed, I suppose that’s where I would start.” A sound from within another room nearly drew her attention away, Rilla’s head lowers, resisting the urge to look. “I’m a contractor at best, or maybe a guest. I was under the care of their doctor after an unfortunate incident with -” with what? Pausing, she chews the inside of her cheek. “- a massive whale, of sorts.” It was an oversimplification, but it would work. “I’ve been caring for their animals while I’m here, but I’m sure they could use another set of hands.” Looking Kailani over once more Rilla shrugs, “why do you want to join the guild?” Her gaze settles on the woman’s face, curious and ready to bolt, in an ongoing battle with which feeling would win.

Sorry Rilla, it's going to take a bit to pull the reclusive woman out of this paranoid moment now that she's slid into it. She'll probably not shake the feeling until she decides to take her leave and is back out in the open air. Evidently both women were feeling flightly, and for similar reasons, but both are blissfully unaware. Upon hearing the name Khitti, there is a flash of recognition across her face. This does not occur for the name Lionel. Rilla's question does offer the druid a distraction from these nervous feelings, if only because Kailani really has to think on this answer. She is also contemplating on if she wants to pry for more information on this incident with a whale. That statement has definitely caught the attention of the ocean-loving druid. She resigns to the fact that it may be better she not ask what happened to the whale. "Because...I care." For as long as it took Kailani to come up with this answer, one might have thought she would be providing something far more philosophical. Trust, a far more expansive answer is contained somewhere within that skull of hers. She does expand, but it's still a watered down version of why she's considering joining, "About the land, the animals, sometimes the people. If I always keep to myself, then I cannot keep them safe." Kailani looks toward Rilla, trying to gauge if her answer was satisfactory enough.

Rilla, the wild-thing she became, would likely never learn to be truly domesticated again but the least she could do was her best not to put people on edge for it. Being a vampire intensified everything, she didn’t know how else to be. Nodding at the answer she was given, she studies the strange woman once more. Rilla knew herself to be overall unassuming, although less so when openly carrying so many blades, resting her hands on her hips, she tilts her head as she considers the answer. “Better than I can say,” she says after a beat with a slight shrug, “I’m just here until they find Lionel, then who knows. If I hadn’t broken both arms, I’d never have stayed here at all.” Her words came with laughter, bittersweet and at her own expense. “Your cause is a lot nobler than mine, I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to have you.” She steps aside, back to the wall as she kept her bright-blue gaze on Kailani, a silent offering to let her past if she so wished although Rilla wouldn’t have stopped her in the first place. “Have you always lived in this place? I lived here for many years but was away for many more, the places are the same, but the people are entirely different save a few of the major Heros I heard about in my time.”

When Rilla further steps out of the druid's way and backs up to a wall, Kailani does indeed start for the exit. Her own time living in the wild has caused the druid to forget many of the social nuisances she had knew when she was young. Were it not for Rilla being a far more proficient conversationalist than Kailani, the druid probably would have left without even saying goodbye. This is not what happens. Her departure is delayed. "From Venturil? No. I came to Venturil shortly after the razurath occupation was brought to an end. It suits me here." In that even the "civilized" places were still a bit wild. "I am actually from Rynvale but I have not called that island home in...." After a moment of trying to calculate how many years it has been, Kailani gives up and answers with a shrug. Rilla had both of her arms broken? The druid is doing another double take, giving the vampiric woman another closer inspection. She couldn't help it, it was an instinctual reaction for the healer. "As far as I can tell, you seem to have recovered from having both of your arms broken just fine. But if you ever find yourself in need of assistance in that regard in the future? I am happy to provide it." If...she can be found. That was the major struggle with this healer in particular. Where did Kailani go today. "If you do meet with Lionel? Would you be kind enough to inform him of my interest? I will otherwise attempt to seek Khitti out."

Rilla’s brow furrows slightly watching the other woman, it wasn’t often that she met someone who seemed as hesitant as she always felt. “Ah, Rynvale.” She nods slowly, guarded for a moment at the mention of her old haunt. Would this woman know who she was? Would she know that she’d failed? She bit her tongue, drew a tense breath that hollowed out her throat, revealing her own tension before her exhale could dispel it. “At least it’s not too far, you could always go back if something there catches your interest again.” She suggests with a shrug, incredibly glad to have been healed, glad for Quintessa’s strange magic, “I’ve always gone back. No matter how many times I’ve left Rynvale.” A ghost of an emotion flashed over her face, colouring it with a hint of regret as she shifts from foot to foot, “their doctors and healers did good work, and Quintessa may have helped them along,” she recovered with a joke as she lifted an arm and made a muscle, hidden beneath the sleeves of her shirt - all lanky muscles, there was nothing to show. “Good as new, strong as any horse.” Shooting Kailani a toothy grin, she turns on her heel, nodding her head down the hallway she’d come from. “Speaking of, come with me.” From the way she moved it was clear that she expects the woman to follow down the hall and through a set of doors, she moves quickly, unaware most of the time that it isn’t normal - she’d had no sire around to teach her to assimilate, and often forgot her manners. “I appreciate the offer,” she says as she walks, not looking back at her until she pushed open the door into the clearing. From across the grassy space, a few goats raise their heads and begin their trek towards her before she’s even fully entered. “And I wish you the best of luck, but I think they may be a little busy for the time being. I’ll pass the message along if you like, but it might be better to get yourself acquainted first while no one’s looking.” She winks, waiting for Kailani to pass her into the brighter room with a stained glass ceiling, a piece of the outside that they’d brought inside.

Kailani picked up on Rilla's reaction to the mention of Rynvale but the vampire would be relieved when Kailani does not seem to interested in dwelling on the subject of all things Rynvale. There is also no recognition, the half-elf is older than appearances let on. Kailani was probably just resolving to leave the island when Rilla was just a babe. "I pass through when I have reason to," it all the druid contributes when it comes to further discussion of Rynvale. Moving on. Rilla suggests that Kailani follow, but the decision to do so is not made quickly. Kailani's feet remain rooted firmly as she watches the other woman is almost half-way down the hall, questioning to herself how what this stranger could possibly want to show her. Maybe there will be a horse...? After her moment of indecision, she silently decides to follow...She's slowly coming around to the notion that Rilla is probably -not so bad-. "I'm not in a rush, but if you're keen on giving me a tour..."

Rilla was far from interested in discussing the island-city that had haunted her for the near-decade she’d been gone, her footsteps quick against the stones below them as she hurries away from the subject, the girl, the whole situation. She stands at the end of the hallway she disappeared down, holding open the door for Kailani despite her being a little bit behind. A goat continues his approach, talking the whole way which calls Rilla’s attention for an instant only to shrug back at Kailani. “A tour? No promises, I don’t really do inside. But this is the best part anyway.” She pushed the door open wider, letting the light into the hallway so that Kailani can see the indoor-clearing that she’s led her to. Social norms be damned, Rilla wasn’t planning to stand around in a hallway when she could see some sunlight. “There are too many sounds and smells, I prefer to be in the forest, but it wouldn’t have been wise to try to recover there alone.” The approaching goat finally reached her then, and Rilla bends to her knee for it, the animal approaching and promptly climbing onto the offered knee to go in search of auburn curls. She pulls them around her back with one hand, laughter bubbling as she attempts to rescue her hair from the goat that was always trying to eat it. What a strange hobby that she clearly found too amusing to deny. “This is the closest you’ll get out of me, I was offered a job caring for them that I’m still debating actually taking,” she shrugs, “can’t say I know much about anyone in the guild, but I know that they’ve got some pretty great goats.” And at least a couple horses, chickens, pigs, cows, animals in general that all seemed to be familiar with the young vampire.

The notion that Rilla probably wasn't so bad was further solidifying in Kailani's mind. It started with the jokes that Rilla doesn't really do inside, something that Kailani can relate to whole-heartedly. Rilla prefers the forest? This also earned her some points in her favor. The real clincher is the way that all of the critters in the yard react to Rilla once they are outside, they seem to flock to her due to familiarity. It may not be a quality that a vast majority of the population would care about, but it's important to the druid. Because this barnyard of animals seems to be inclined to trust Rilla, Kailani is pretty swift to elevate her opinion of Rilla. Yes, this woman she liked. While Rilla was busy rescuing her hair from a goat, Kailani lets her gaze travel around the yard. There were definitely horses, something that pleased the druid. What woman wasn't a sucker for a horse? The druid doesn't end up approaching, though, for it's a cow that ends up trying to get her attention. It's out of a moment of jealousy. See, really the cow wants attention from Rilla, but Rilla is busy with a goat...and SOMEONE needs to pay attention to this cow, okay? Kailani is happy to humor the creature with a few ear scratches. "I think that you should take the job. It clearly pleases you as much as it pleases them, so it is good for you both." There is a brief pause, Kailani's lips pulling up into a smile. "Also, it seems to me that you care too.”

Rilla let the door - or gate - whatever you wanted to call it close behind them, leaning back as the goat fought for her attention. How much time had she spent here? Gently, she righted the goal, pushing him back to the ground before he could try to hop up on her back as he had done before. She stood, moving quietly towards the rest of the goats, each one receiving a pat down the back before it nuzzled into hand in search of food. She was at ease like this, she trusted the judgment of these animals better than most people - herself included. After a beat she searched for the blue-haired woman again, only to find her petting a cow. She smiles slightly, watching for an instant before her attention was drawn back to the animal nudging at her over and over again as if it would somehow change her status of not-having-food. “I’ve been feeding them, I get the feeling that they remember.” She laughs, and in a fluid movement sits on the grass. Before she could even begin to stop it the goats and descended on her, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Animals deserve to be cared for more than any human I’ve ever met. I might take the job,” she shrugs, looking up from the pile of four goats she’d placed herself in, each one tugging at her clothes or hair (until she tucked it down the back of her shirt, that is). “Caring is another story, I don’t know anyone here any longer,” she swallows, focusing on the animals rather than the conversation to avoid the emotion behind it. “But I will always gladly help any animal.”

Kailani was not so easily convinced that the assertion that Rilla cared was incorrect...! In the end if Rilla did or did not care was not something that she was going to make into an argument. Especially not first meeting. Kailani's opinion was formed and It was for Rilla to grapple with this realization. The druid was content to let the subject drift back to animals. "They remember. Without a doubt. I can assure you from experience that they are definitely more aware than most humans.." Kailani gives pause here, pressing her lips together as she considers the various races that occupy these lands. "Humaniods?" The druid shrugs, giving up on finding the correct term. "Either way, they're more sentient than most would give them credit for." The druid motions toward one of the horses, "There are varying degrees of this of course. The horse is more aware than the duck.." Which is the creature that Kailani gestures too next. "But that does not change the point that they remember, and they all deserve to be cared for, yes." Kailani would still eat the duck though...just not the horse. The druid gives into the temptation to press Rilla on the matter of accepting the job, this time more subtly. She takes a step toward the other woman and extends a hand to the other, "It really was nice to meet you, Rilla." Look at Kailani, trying to make friends. "I hope that you do take the job, if only because it means that our paths are more likely to cross again. And under pleasant circumstances." Also, probably not pleasant circumstances, Kailani's not kidding herself -- but it definitely meant they could further geek out of animals.

Rilla nods, listening intently as Kailani spoke though the animals did their best to draw her attention. She rests a hand on two of them, her face scrunched up with laughter. “People in general, anyone capable of speech is capable of being awful. Animals not so much.” Thin shoulder shrug, a long-kept philosophy coming to light after years of not letting anyone get even that close. It felt wrong every time, but somehow animals were the one thing that she could never resist. “I disagree, birds are, in my opinion, the most sentient of them all.” Pushing the goats off of her once more, she stands and dusts herself off. “Even a duck. I’d rather eat a human.” It was a bad, crude, probably unacceptable joke but one that Rilla couldn’t resist making. One cool, calloused hand extended, watching the other woman carefully before taking offered hand in a firm handshake, stepping towards her with a hint of a smile. “Whether I take the job or not, I’ll be here. I’ve named all of the pigs and goats and if I leave someone might eat one.” Her head cocked to one side, she stepped back, releasing Kailani’s hand once more. Her arms fell to her sides, attracting the attention of her goats again, but she paid them no mind. “Just remember the way out here, it’s the most interesting place in the building anyway. If you do decide to join the guild.”

Kailani finds herself grinning in a lopsided manner when Rilla makes the assertion that animals are less capable of cruelty. This is not a point that Kailani is ready to whole-heartedly back, not like she did the assertion that animals should be cared for. Yet, the druid is also not sure if she should go on a tangent of survival of the fittest. They could debate that another day. The blue-haired woman bobs her head in a nod, seeing no reason to argue against birds being the most sentient of them all. Certainly some. Rilla jokes of eating a human and a brow is lifted, with the druid trying to analyze the meaning of that joke. She's studying Rilla again, but in the end she brushes it off. Kailani holds no judgement against vampires, not that she has fully discerned such. "How could I forget?" Kailani questions of Rilla as she turns, showing herself out. She's careful to shut all needed gates and doors as she first exits this open space and then Vigilanti Semper entirely.