2017-09-07: What We Have

• Log: What We Have
• Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Seraph Ragnell
• Where: Wayside
• Date: 7th September 2017
• Summary: Ragnell visits Wayside and discusses the future with the two Metal Demons who host the place.

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<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

The village of Wayside has become something of a haven for Drifters lately -- especially those that have been caught in the wake of the warfront from Aveh and Kislev. It's something of a poorly kept secret -- a hidden village, where all that have been cast aside by life and the harsh climes of Filgaia are welcome... nestled inbetween two high crested hills in a valley, the village was reportedly built upon its predecessor, abandoned decades ago to banditry and monsters.

Now, it stands as a testament to the tenacity of the Tainted -- a ring of caravans surrounds a great campfire around which the beginnings of prefab buildings and a saloon named 'V4L-H4LLA' sits to one side. It's humble, but it has the beginnings of something hardy and precious in this wasted world. The air is different than that of Old Petra -- owing to the lack of Metal Demon military encampments and bases around. It's more inviting than ever.

Riesenlied is seated next to the campfire, making a humble bowl of soup from an iron pot that's currently simmering away as the day whiles. There's a herbal scent, so perhaps it's a concoction of some sort? It's hard to tell.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

A poorly kept secret is still a secret, and Ragnell loves few things more. But then, Riesenlied had mentioned her intent to found a town for those tossed to the wayside, as it were, so when she'd heard of it, she figured she'd find the Tainted here. She's right, too; as she walks into town, which is barely visible from a distance given where it's built, there's a ring of caravans around a campfire, and next to *that*, the leader of the Ebony Wings.

It smells like dinnertime, too. A good scent, at that. Ragnell breathes in the air as she approaches, not bothering to mask herself or her presence, until she's almost to the campfire. "Yo," she calls casually, walking up next to where Riesenlied sits. "Feels like it's been a while. So this is the town you were talkin' about settin' up, huh? Doesn't look half-bad for a brand-new settlement."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks up wanly from where she's stirring her herbal soup, smiling warmly. "... Miss Ragnell... hello," she gestures. "Please, take a seat. Welcome to Wayside... we don't have much here yet, but... we've been able to provide for some people already." Off in the distance, some human children run about carrying pails as they come back from what appears to be a water purifier -- they have grinning faces as one of them goes, "I'm the strongestest!" "Nuh uh, me!"

Oh dear, Riesenlied.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

As the human children hurry by with pails of water, Ragnell peers over at them. Them, and also the machine they just came from. Both of them are of interest, albeit for different reasons.

"You doin' okay?" she asks then, looking back at Riesenlied as she takes a seat next to her. "You look kinda pale. You pushin' yourself or somethin'?" It would make sense. The Metal Demons just got caught up in a three-way battle, and given what she heard about a certain ultimatum... Riesenlied's the type to push herself to the point of collapse, too. The type who's so serious she can't let herself have a bit of rest. Ragnell imagines Noeline takes the edge off of that in various ways, but there's only so much one person can do.

"Seems like you got a mix o' people here already, on that note," she observes. "Those kids have any parents, or...?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

The water purifier certainly looks like an ARM of some sort -- definitely more advanced than the bog-standard kind, and perhaps something Riesenlied or one of her scouts picked out to decide on a place to dwell. Water is a valuable commodity in the desert, after all.

"... I've been-- feeling a bit unusual... since meeting with the Guardian," Riesenlied admits. She glances towards the children to say, "No... I discovered them while charting the desert. They were part of a caravan that had been assaulted by bandits and--" A hesitant pause. "They're the only survivors, I'm afraid..."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

There is an indignant squawk in the distance - one of those noises that starts out grumpy and ends a hair off upset, without actually ever going over the line. It's a familiar sort of noise, and the '--honestly!' that follows it makes it totally clear who's nearby. Never mind that the next words out of Noeline's mouth are more caring than the noise would suggest: "Be more careful! That water is important enough for you without spilling it!"

When she rounds the corner on the pair, it's obvious to see what happened - she's got one twintail untied and loose, doing her best to wring out a dripping patch of hair. The lighter clothes she's started to wear since coming to Wayside have, this time around, backfired on her, with one side of the vest stuck to her skin as she pouts a very solid pout.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Water's a valuable commodity, period, if you can make sure it's clean and drinkable. Even on Lunar, there are entire bodies of water that are no good; too dirty, too salty, too something or other. an ARM that can make clean water whenever is priceless. ...But yeah, it's even moreso in a town in the middle of the desert.

"...I see," Ragnell murmurs, both of the Guardian and of the children. She looks back over her shoulder at the kids. "...I'm guessin' they were unconscious or they slept through it or they just didn't see it somehow. It's hard to imagine kids that young bein' that happy if they'd seen their folks and friends killed before their eyes."

She'd say more about that, but then there's a squawk, and then a huff. The huff gives away who it is immediately, and Ragnell half-smiles before she looks over her shoulder at Noeline upon her approach. "Take it one o' the kiddos ran into you," she drawls. "Wet's a good look for you, though." She grins and winks extravagantly. "Right, Riese~?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied lets out a little yelp as she hears the squawk in turn, which appears to have provoked her... but-- she nods very quietly as she answers to Ragnell, "I have not... told them the truth yet." It will be a bitter pill to swallow for everyone, but... for now, it seems like the best that she can do for them.

Noeline comes into sight and she-- gasps just for a moment, holding a nearby towel up to start fussing and mothering over the metal demon in a way Riese is often wont to do. Though she blinks a few times to go, "E-eh?" at Ragnell's cheeky comment and blush further. "I wouldn't want you to catch cold..."

Riese, I'm pretty sure you're one of the only Metal Demons who /can/ catch colds.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline isn't soaked or anything, so much as fetchingly damp - and while that might not actually be a state you can be in Filgaia, the Metal Demon at least seems able to come close. She sights Riesenlied, and is about to open her mouth to grumble an empty complaint when the other woman latched onto her and begins to fuss; that sends the spy into a mild blush that mirrors her partner's, one that only ratchets up when she catches the fact that the Seraph is around.

"I-I'm fine-- but-- thank you," she huffs, her voice carrying a note of thanks before she sniggers. "Riese, we are in the desert and it's the afternoon. I am reasonably sure I'll be alright," she adds as assurance, but peers past her towards Ragnell. "Ah, you found your way here. Welcome to Wayside," she nods in greeting. "Such as it is, at the moment."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Ragnell makes a low noise as she rests her chin in one hand, looking back towards the kids. "...Outta curiosity, what *have* you told 'em? I'm sure they're curious where everyone in their caravan is." And it's possible that if she keeps the truth from them for too long, they may resent her for it... That's something she'll have to deal with, though. At least her people weren't the ones who massacred that caravan.

At least, Ragnell's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt here that they weren't.

Then Noeline arrives and Riesenlied fusses over her. Ragnell snickers too. "She's got a point, ya know," she drawls. "Just leave 'er in the sun an' I'm sure she'll dry off soon enough." After all, it's not like she's /actually/ a Crimson Noble. "An' I sure did. It's been a while anyway, and I'd heard a murmur or two." She gives them a meaningful look. "I also heard about your run-in with Equites." There's only one person she could've heard about that from, but it's not like they aren't all aware of that. "You say you've been feelin' 'unusual,' Riese? Unusual how?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied bobs her head to one side to murmur, "That we're doing our best to search for them... we do have some identifiers, and some of Noeline's contacts are checking whether they have relatives around Little Twister or November City." A pause, as she seems to indicate that the answer is 'not really', for most of them. "I will offer them the option of whether they'd like to stay here, or if they'd like to relocate to the city..." Though that comes with a fistful of problems all on its own, given the city's crime rates.

She looks towards Noeline with a slightly more bashful smile, and says, "I'd... still like to care where I can," as she leans down and stirs the pot again. "... it feels that my empathic senses have-- grown, as it were. The resonance I feel from the ruins feels -- stronger." A pause. "I'd say this is a good thing, but... there was at least one case where Noeline had to tend to me because the sensation had overwhelmed me and sent me into a trance. ... so the instability is definitely... growing."

A pause, as Ragnell mentions Equites. "... I'd like to thank K.K. for their assistance at our time of greatest need. ... I'm-- sure it was for more than just our sakes, but... it is undeniable that if it were not for them, Equites may well have not stayed his blade."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Ah-- I suppose you would have, yes. At the very least, that saves us rather a long story - on the other hand, it is a very /good/ story," she adds with an amused puff of air, at least able to bull through her blush this much to put on her regular face. "Still, you could at least not refer to me as if I were a prune or a date or something of the sort."

When Riesenlied offers her that smile, though, she does lean ever so slightly into the other demon - and again when Riese starts to talk of instability and trances, this time clearly out of concern and with an arm ever so lightly around her waist. Goodness. "... I am still not terribly sure if it would be right to call it an instability. Resonance, by nature, is something that can build upon itself at the correct frequencies. If you're more able to perceive it now, perhaps that has something to do with it," she wonders quietly.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Mmm. Yeah, s'pose if you could find some relatives of theirs, that'd be the best option... probably," Ragnell muses. She's been around the block enough times to know that blood doesn't necessarily mean a thing to humans--only when it's convenient. "Well, *if* you do find 'em, that is. Can't see you kickin' 'em out because you couldn't." Though eventually children do grow up into adults... Well, at that point, hopefully they'll be able to take care of themselves. For now, it's only natural to look out for them--or at least, Ragnell thinks so.

"Yeah, I 'magine when it comes to Riese, you're interested in a totally different kinda date," she cracks, winking again at Noeline. Still, she does nod and listen to the story--of Riese's increased sensitivity, of Equites nearly cutting them down had it not been for K.K.'s interference. "Yeah... I'm sure they know you're grateful. Though if you're askin' me to pass on the thanks, I can do that," she replies. "As for the instability... well, I don't know a lot 'bout you Tainted, how resonance might affect one o' ya. But Noeline's got a point. Could be that you've just gotten stronger, but you aren't capable a' handlin' that strength yet. In other words, you don't have the defenses to match your sensitivity yet." Ragnell shrugs. "That's just a guess, though."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied drops the topic of the orphans for now, not because Noeline's here, but because it's probably something that determines a longer look later. Riese did create an orphanage here with the expectation that the violent reputation of the Badlands /would/ make that a necessity... but whether or not that's a great idea is another question in and out of itself. Still, it wouldn't be Riesenlied if she shied away from it just because, now would it?

"A-- different kind of...?" Riesenlied seems kind of confused, but the topic shifts soon enough. "If I do not see them before you do... please, let them know." A pause. "Hmm... an inability to handle that strength..." She tilts her head and closes her eyes. "It could be. ... I'm a bit worried about being overwhelmed again, so I'm conscious to try to keep myself more focused than ever. ... I still feel like the symptoms, each time, became more intense after an encounter with the Guardians, however..."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline looks like she's about to say more on the topic of the orphans, or at least protest when Ragnell brings up even the faintest word of kicking them out - looks like someone other than Riese is a bit of a soft touch, though maybe she's just enjoying having a gaggle of kids who think Miss Crimson Noble is oh-so-cool. Still, she seems mollified in the end, just nodding. "... we're trying to find more. Unfortunately... well. Filgaia is not big on bookkeeping."

Noeline just puffs at Ragnell's comment at first - but flicks her hair out pridefully as well. "On that front, we did test out some new disguises. Do I look good?" she-- presumably teases? Because other than the way her hair suddenly shades to a deep and fiery red when she activates some kind of device, she otherwise looks exactly the same. Twintails, fangs... this is taking 'hiding in plain sight' to new levels.

As her hair drifts back to black, she glances across at Riesenlied with something of a frown. "Whichever way I slice it... it seems very similar to Seraphs, and the way one trains their resonance by being near to them - just that it's Guardians and a certain sensitivity, instead." She doesn't sound terrifically convinced in her own words, but it's the only start she's got. "You do seem to have more of a handle on it now, however."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

It probably will be an inevitability, and in fact it's a good thing she set one up since she already has a couple of orphans running around. Whether or not it's a good idea remains to be seen, but if she's to make her vision a reality, something like that *should* be made available. Children are the future, after all.

"Will do," Ragnell replies. "Huh. So this is... a consistent thing? I thought the Guardians wouldn't talk to you, though? Like, that was the whole reason you asked Cecilia to intercede on your behalf."

As for kicking them out--Ragnell wasn't suggesting that at all; quite the opposite. "Mm. Paper's not exactly a common commodity, after all," she observes, looking out towards the desert through a crack between the caravans. "People're tryin' their hardest just to survive. It might bring 'em more purity, but it means there're things we might never know--even if it's somethin' as simple as 'do these kids have any relatives.'

Does she look good? Ragnell looks over at Noeline just as her black hair turns fiery red. She raises an eyebrow. "Too much red," she decides, half-smiling. Then she nods. "Yeah, could be. Truth be told, I've long though Guardians seemed similar to Seraphim, in some ways." Though, given what Equites had said of Althena... She shakes her head. "Then again, Seraphim an' Metal Demons don't have the bad blood Guardians an' Metal Demons do. Either way, you won't get any better at it if you shy away from it."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"It's true," Riesenlied admits to Ragnell. "And the first time... was-- ah," she looks just a tad embarrassed. "Less of a conversation with words, and more of a conversation with gravity being turned upside down, perhaps..." During the Fairgrounds, perhaps. "That was when I started feeling the sensation... and speaking to Equites was when it became -- um, more complicated." She's not sure whether to use 'stronger', or more 'imbalanced', or...

Well.

"... I do wonder what kind of bad blood the Guardians have had with Althena," she muses on that topic as they broach it. "Our encounter in the Temple has only further convinced me that the Guardians are yet another party that has suffered and sustained wounds in the war of a thousand years ago."

She furrows her brow. "They seek the Drifters to enact protection of their seals... but... they themselves have a limited viewpoint that's clouded by their history, much like how Lord Siegfried is set upon a course due to his history with them."

She looks towards Ragnell to express, "I... have more and more certainty that if this is allowed to escalate, that we may simply be repeating a history that we've lost to time. It is why I want, more than ever, to understand the truth of a thousand years ago. Because it hurts me to see people relive the wounds of yesteryear as if it were yesterday... it wounds me to see them be unable to let go."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"As if there's such a thing," pouts Noeline defensively as her hair colour cycles back to normal - though she doesn't take long to sober, given the topics on display. "As Riese has described before, the Guardians seem-- blinded, and not just in the metaphorical sense. I suppose it is likely to go hand-in-hand with the waning of their power, but-- well, it seems as if everyone and their dog now carries a Medium with them. Perhaps this is their way of giving themselves more eyes on the world."

"For the children, at least, I will see what can be done. To be honest, I've been considering looking around November City for a place for them - only if necessary, of course, but compared to the village of Wayside, a reputable place there would offer a lot more in the way of opportunity down the line." How thoughtful... though she doesn't sound like a great deal with come of anything just yet.

"... I still need to return to the Temple at some point, and seek to talk to Duras Drum. The fact that he is sealed away suggests that he may have a rather different viewpoint on matters - perhaps he might know more of the history of things, or at least have some insight we haven't yet encountered."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Ragnell grins at Noeline's pout about her redheadedness, but lets her have the last word. Instead: "Oh, I see," she says, eyebrow raised, to Riesenlied. She doesn't *quite* understand, but she thinks she does, anyway. If nothing else, she gets that it's not something that can be easily explained with words. As for Althena... Ragnell shakes her head. "Me too. I was shocked t' hear about it," she replies. "I never heard o' th' Guardians before I came to Filgaia, and I'm willin' to bet y'all never heard of Althena 'til we came in from Lunar. There's no denyin' there's a connection between our worlds, but... why would they go so far as to call Her a /traitor/?" As she observed to K.K.-- "It implies that she was one o' their friends once upon a time. You can't be betray someone you were never friendly with in the first place, after all."

The Guardians, another injured party in the thousand-year-old war. Ragnell nods slowly, thinking of the events of a thousand years past on Lunar. She's not old enough to have experienced them personally, but her parents were, and the bits and pieces they were able to tell her were... not pleasant. Is it possible that there's some connection to the war itself...? No, maybe she's overthinking it.

"It's natural to hate someone who's hurt you," Ragnell remarks. "But you can't get anywhere if you keep holdin' a grudge." She snorts at Noeline, and answers by way of reaching into her poncho and pulling out a Rigdobrite Medium. She flips it into the air like an oversized coin, then catches it and tucks it back away. "You're tellin' me," she says dryly. "Though I'm still tryin' ta figure out how to make it work. You'd think a fellow spiritual bein' wouldn't have trouble, but..." She shrugs. "In any case, if y'all can figure somethin' out through Duras Drum or whoever, I'd be pleased to hear about it. I do have one question, though..."

She frowns at them both. "This town, an' this vision... It directly contradicts with what Siegfried wants, doesn't it?" That's her impression, in any case. "If it comes down to upholdin' your promise to the Guardians, and stayin' loyal to Siegfried... which is it gonna come down to? What's gonna happen with your Mother?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied lowers her head at that, as Ragnell cuts right to the thick of it. Finally, she pulls the pot away from the fire as she stirs further, and starts to set several bowls out on the table as she pours several servings. It's a way for her to just stave off the question for a while, but at the same time think of it.

"... in truth, I was once what you could probably say a devout follower of Mother," Riesenlied admits quietly. "I always thought of her as a kind, gentle saviour... you'd have to be, to undertake the mission of bringing my ancestors across the sea of stars in search of a new home, wouldn't you?"

She hesitates. "But in hearing her voice, when she awoke so briefly... to hear her curse the Guardians... and to see the Guardians tremble in fear and hate in turn..."

She bites her lip. "... I don't know. I... still struggle with it, to be quite honest. I struggle -- and weep -- at the thought of Mother being vengeful and wrathful... that the figure I have based so much of myself on all of this time may... not be so."

It's probably pretty easy to draw parallels to how Riesenlied acts if that's her thought of Mother.

"But... at the same time, I have been averting my eyes from inconvenient truths too long. Lord Siegfried has given me a chance where no others would, and he has given me tutelage and wisdom beyond my years... and I still call him a close friend, I truly do. But... I do believe that his grudge, his hatred leads him to an outcome that will be harmful for us all..."

A sigh.

"Nothing will come out of hesitation. Hesitation has cost me Adlehyde and Arctica, in my book. Wayside is a way for us to make a stand, however insignificant at present... but--" she pauses, and-- can't help but chuckle. "Someone told me that if you don't give up... you can accomplish anything. And while that may be overtly optimistic... the reverse is also true. For giving up means that whatever chance you may have had, however slim... will truly become zero."

Oh god the Dean has infected her!

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline-- has fallen silent. The demon just glances to one side, perceptibly paying that much more attention to Riesenlied when the commander makes her proclamation. If you watch close, she's-- kind of hanging on the words just a little, her expression more affected than it has ever really looked in mixed company.

It takes her a while to marshal her words in the wake of Riesenlied's conviction, but she finally dips her head with a chuckle. "... I have said it before, I think, but... I have lived with a Medium for a century or so, by now. I have already had to ask myself, time and time again: what will Mother do, when she awakens? Will I have a place in her world, with my countrymen? Do I even want that, given my attachment to humans and their scattered, enthralling world? Will I simply get cut down for having associated with a Guardian?"

"In the end, I am a spy. And spies tend to be rather paranoid sorts, you realize," she breathes out with something like a rueful laugh. "In that respect, Wayside is-- protection. A means of banding together, come what may, and an independent home for those who have yet to learn what that actually means. At the same time, forcing some kind of peace may be the only way I have to find a place for myself, straddled between sides as I am."

She pauses, and rests her hand on Riesenlied's arm. "... if possible, I would have preferred to not draw Riese into this dangerous position. I can dance through it or flit away from it much easier than she can." Noeline pauses, though, and closes her eyes to sigh. "But we would absolutely, utterly not have come this far if it weren't for her."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

It's fine. Ragnell's willing to wait. After all, she knows she's asking something sensitive--possibly more sensitive than either party wants to consider. But they'll have to if they want to move forward. If they refuse... then that's only weakness. But it's not weakness to think things over, so she lets silence follow for a while as Riesenlied serves up.

And when Riesenlied answers, she listens quietly. She remembers some of this from previous discussions about Mother, but it's only now that it occurs to her that Riese speaks as though she's never actually met or spoken to her 'Mother.' Which makes sense. She's only four hundred, after all. That's practically a baby in some ways. If her Mother isn't actually the person she thinks she is... or if the passage of years has twisted her into something different from what she once was... And Noeline weighs in as well, sharing her doubts and fears about her place in Mother's world. Ragnell chuckles at her suggestion that she could have convinced Riesenlied to not get involved with Wayside, though.

"I got a feelin' you didn't 'draw' her into anything. That she made her own decisions based on what she believes is right." Her red eyes slide over to the Ebon Wings commander. "Am I right?" A beat. "You say you don't know what you'd do if it came down to it. But, if you ask me, I think you already have. The fact that you made this village... the fact that you entered a contract with a Guardian... in truth, you've already decided whose side you're on, haven't you? You're just holdin' out hope that the Guardians will be more forgivin' than your Mother would."

She rests her hands on her knees, fingers lightly crossed. "I'm not criticizin', mind. I know there's lots who'd see what K.K. is doin' as monstrous, an' see me as crazy for goin' along with what they do. But I made my choice a long time ago. I believe in them and what they're doin', even if it means actin' in ways my Goddess maybe wouldn't like. I believe the world will be better off for what they do, and what I help them do.

"You two are the same, right? So while I get why you're worried, there's no reason for you to doubt or hesitate. You already know that. You just need to keep movin' forward on the path you believe is right."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied laces her fingers around the bowl, as if she could gaze at herself into the clear soup that she's produced. Then she takes a gentle sip from it, letting out a little 'mm' of thought. She sets the bowl down in turn.

"It's true."

She smiles just a bit more sweetly as she places her hands to her leggings-covered knees, and looks towards Noeline. "We've both chosen our paths, and we've chosen to share weal and woe both, and the risk of what comes of going against the wishes of our brethren... and the world at large. We have vowed promises to that effect, and I do not intend on shying away on any of them."

She holds her hand out and places it on Noeline's, drawing her just a bit closer. "While Equites has chosen to contract with us, I have no illusions that there are others that may not share his view. We may yet be attacked by them or their followers, as much as Lord Siegfried may choose to view us as traitors. And..."

She looks towards the skies for a moment, as if she's just trying to puzzle out where Lunar might be right now. "The Guardians are a victim of what has happened, another perspective on the tragedy that has befallen us. The Elw have disappeared and took with them vital clues. We won't understand the whole picture just remaining on Filgaia. I wholeheartedly believe that the other half of the answers lie in Lunar."

There's a tender kind of expression as she says, "... so in that sense, yes, I've chosen my side. There is a new world out there that I seek," she returns to her usual catchphrase, "A world where we may understand the truth of what happened, and be borne not on past grudges, but on awareness and understanding. That is the path I believe in."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

With a light chuckle, Noeline's hand rests under Riese's, turned so as to lace their fingers together; the twintailed demon is obviously kind of bashful, for once not really sure what to say. "... more than anything else - that is the dream, and the person, I wish to protect. I pride myself on living how I want, and I would have no end of regrets if I did not follow this path as hard as I could." It's a rare admission from her, but it's the only want to really follow Riesenlied's speech, and Noeline huffs ever so softly afterwards.

"Besides. The pride that I /do/ have in my race - it is trodden underfoot by the likes of some of its higher ups. The more I can pull our people towards peace and away from barbaric ravagery, the better," she adds - with a remarkable amount of quiet venom, obviously thinking of sorts like Berserk and Alhazred.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Ragnell, for her part, drinks from the bowl as if it were an oversized cup. It's good and hot, the way she likes it, though it could probably use some stirring to mix up the ingredients that have settled at the bottom. Oh well. She lowers the bowl and smiles as Noeline and Riesenlied share sweet looks and words of conviction, that they'll choose this path even it if means being branded traitors, on following the path they choose because of who and what they love.

"Sounds like you two are already well on your way towards makin' your dreams a reality," she observes. Not having personally met Berserk or Alhazred, but having seen the results of their attacks in Adlehyde, she understands that quiet venom of Noeline's, but doesn't remark on it directly. Instead, she nods to her, then to Riesenlied. "I'm thinkin' you're right, about the rest of the answers bein' on Lunar," she replies. "But that doesn't mean we haven't found all the answers there are to find here just yet, either. 'Til we figure out a way back--" She holds out her free hand to the two, as if to shake, or even as if to pile their hands on top of each other. "--let's keep figurin' out what we got right here."