2017-10-26: Inside

• Log: Inside
• Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Seraph Ragnell
• Where: Wayside
• Date: 26th October, 2017
• Summary: Riesenlied requests mental training from Ragnell, and the Seraph obliges, descending into her mind... but finds something other than what she expects.

---

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied's had a bit of a horrid day yesterday -- on her trip to Jolly Roger, a strange phenomenon washed over the city, and a black mist covered the streets as a ghost ship appeared on the moonlit wharf...

... suffice to say, she was out of it after a kindred soul descended upon her, using her body as a vessel to guide the other Drifters through to tell the story of the sunken ship that'd run afoul of the Primarch.

But that was then, and this is now -- and the Hyadean is stood atop one of the cliffs overlooking Wayside, Riesenlied's preferred training ground rather than the dojo. She's... braced her arms onto her chest, wincing a little as her tattered wings spreads to either side of her. She's lightly injured, but it doesn't seem to be her physical form that's bothering her.

It's how vulnerable her mind and emotions have become in the wake of the Temple, and her inability to effectively resist those that try to push their consciences into her space; the gap of where Riesenlied 'begins' and 'ends' is a difficult thing for her to define sometimes...

It's why she's called out for Ragnell in particular -- to see if the Seraph has any ideas on how to bolster her defenses, to enhance her control now that her senses have been growing faster than she can manage to learn about them.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

When Ragnell received word from Riesenlied that she wanted her help with training, curiosity, and prior offers and agreements, had made her decide to agree. When she actually arrives at Wayside, though, it's a little different from what she'd expected; rather than combat training, it's mental training to defend her against, of all things, ghosts.

Well--ghosts, alternate consciousnesses... that sort of thing. Empathy has its drawnbacks, it appears. When Riese guides Ragnell (and, presumably, Noeline) to the cliff overlooking Wayside, preferring it to the dojo for this sort of training, she takes a moment to take in the sights. Then, thumbs hooked into her jeans pockets, she half-turns to look at Riesenlied.

"So, an' I'm just makin' sure here," she says, "but you want me to actually punch you in the brain as it were, right? Not just give you advice? Otherwise, there wouldn't be a need for us to come all the way out here." She gestures down towards Wayside. "Not that I mind. Your town's downright picturesque from up here."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied tilts her head with a bit of reluctance, holding her hand to her cheek. "I don't want the orphans to worry, and as of late, the dojo has been a source of... some commotion." Equal parts Fenrir, equal parts Ida. "So they tend to get pretty jumpy whenever they hear a loud noise from there."

She sighs. "The spirit at that ship was just one instance. I've been... gripped and led to other places on multiple occasions. Ghosts, spirits... the sensation of a Guardian, and... something within the PLANT, too..."

There's a delicate frown from Riesenlied. "It's dangerous for me and those around me, if I don't become better at this... so-- um, I'm in your hands, Miss Ragnell."

She's not quite sure about a punch to the brain, but...

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"... honestly," mutters Noeline to herself, when Riesenlied first mentions the budding problems around the dojo. "It's difficult enough keeping this place peaceful as it is, let alone when people are tearing buildings apart. At least we've gotten good at bringing them back up quickly, but it would be nice if we could perhaps not reach that point to begin with," she adds with a light huff of air.

She's followed Riesenlied up here, of course, helping the other Metal Demon up the slope with a hand on her arm, compensating for how wobbly Riese is in the wake of the ghostly possession. "To be honest, I-- rather assumed that you'd let the spirit in willingly," she has to admit, frowning as she scratches at her cheek; she thought of that assumption makes her a little guilty, which is an odd sensation for the Metal Demon, and so she rallies with a grumbling sort of huff. "It's the sort of thing you'd do. Not that I'm complaining."

She's getting a little better at picking out where Ragnell is, though it still seems like she's working in concert with her Medium rather than developing a spiritual sense of her own. "... you know--" she adds abruptly, as Ragnell hooks her fingers in her belt loops. "--you could at least wear a tangible cloak, or something of the sort."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Mmm... Makes sense," Ragnell says with a nod. "They're pretty young. They got their whole lives to learn how unfair and unstable the world is. If you're gonna take it on yourself to take care of 'em and this whole town, you gotta do what you gotta do to pull yourself together." A faint chuckle as Noeline grumbles about buildings getting smashed up and wishing things wouldn't get to that point in the first place. Although she's not aware specifically of the fight between Fenrir and Ida, well, it's the Badlands, and specifically the dojo. It doesn't take much imagining to guess what might've happened. "That bad, huh? Well, it's always tough for a town startin' out, and y'all have plenty of extra challenges on top o' that. If you really mean that, Noeline, you two might have to start gettin' choosier 'bout who you let into town."

Something in the PLANT, huh. Ragnell scratches her cheek, recalling her one foray into the bizarre light bulb-shaped... thing. It's not surprising to her to hear that Riesenlied might've had trouble there too. When Noeline comments that she'd assumed that Riese had let the spirit in willingly, Ragnell nods. "Yeah. Sounds like somethin' she'd do, all right." To Riese, she continues, "Anyway, your particular abilities are pretty new to me too, so I dunno how much help I'll be," she says. "If I recall correctly, you're breakin' off bits o' yourself and usin' them to understand others' feelin's, right?" She eyeballs Riese's tattered wings. "I don't think the problem's your willpower, so without knowin' the full picture of everythin' you've been doin' lately, I'd first off suggest that maybe breakin' off pieces of yourself and not putting them back properly afterwards is maybe makin' you weaker in some places."

Noeline adds something about a tangible cloak. Ragnell blinks over at her. "Huh? Why would I?" ...it's entirely sincere, which probably says a lot about her.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied places her hand a bit tighter to her cheek with some concern, as she winces just a bit. "That's... part of the problem," she expresses to Noeline. "I sensed a great sorrow and reached out to it... and before I knew what was really going on, we'd communed and-- I kind of just lost it. I didn't realise I was being possessed until much later, when I-- briefly heard your voice, on the ship."

She looks towards Ragnell and says, "That might... be the case, yes. I've asked Cetiri to help me with the... well, technological side of things, because I don't much understand it. Perhaps Ambrosius or Kalve can help too."

She places a finger to her lips. "But since it seems to manifest in a mind-like manner, such as with the empathy, I thought that training myself mentally might produce some effects as well...?"

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Believe me, I have thought about that very strongly," Noeline mutters to herself when Ragnell makes the suggestion, heaving out a breath as her hand goes to her forehead. "But it goes against the spirit of what we're trying to do, is the best way I can put it." She shifts a little, carefully and daintily sitting down on the edge of the cliff as she glances down at the budding village below. "The fighting in the dojo is-- an acceptable way for some of our number to blow off steam, I suppose you could say. And pitching Miss Everstead-Rey out into the wilderness is only going to feed the grudge she's decided to cultivate out of damn near nowhere," she adds rather plainly, and with more than a little irritation in her voice.

She... doesn't mention that she's thought about some things more drastic than exile. Best not to.

A sigh, and she leaves it alone - especially because she's glancing across at Riesenlied. "... hmm... I suppose I'm a little out of my depth even imagining it," she admits eventually. "That said, the Trial Knight did suggest you'd need to be stronger in an emotional sense, rather than a traditional one. It's always been your forte, I admit, and it's not as if I know any other way to improve than practice," she adds with a lazy frown. Her gaze does keep travelling back towards the tattered wings, though, with a tiny little hint of a sulk. Does she miss them?

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Hmmm..." Ragnell murmurs, folding her arms over her chest as Riesenlied describes the moment with the ghost that possessed her. "You didn't even notice it, huh... That's bad." She tilts her head to one side, one eyebrow rising. "I'll be frank with ya, Riese: I thought you were stronger than that. You can invite someone t' talk without lettin' 'em stomp inside your house an' eat all your food and leave a mess when they go, so to speak. ...But I s'pose if you knew how to tell someone to fuck off, you wouldn't be havin' these problems in the first place."

She peers over at Noeline. Ida, huh...? That's news to her. Then again, she hasn't spoken with Ida in some time. She's been meaning to look her up again regardless, but... "What's she got a grudge over?" she wonders. "An' I get what you're sayin', Noeline, but you're gonna need ground rules an' a willin'ness to enforce them, or else you'll have the problem Riese's got with ghosts, only in real life. Havin' a dojo around for people to let off steam's a good idea, but if they're actually bustin' up the place... Well, actually," she concedes, looking thoughtful all of a sudden, "maybe the problem there's that the place isn't built tough enough. We got a lot o' rascals 'round these parts." Including her, she doesn't add. They all know that, right?

But it looks like, while Riese is looking into the tech side of things, she wants some specific mental training. It's as much as Ragnell figured, all considering, so she nods. "Mmm, they said that, huh?" she says to Noeline, of the Trial Knight. "They're right, as usual." She points a finger at both of them and asides, "Don't you dare tell them I said that." Re-folding her arms, she continues, "It sounds like you need practice setting boundaries, Riese. A sense of 'this is me' an' 'this is not me.' I woulda thought that your strong will would take care o' that, but... maybe it's too new for you."

She taps a finger on her forearm in thought; then she focuses on Riese. "Well, I'm usually on the possessin' side o' things myself, so if nothin' else, I can be an opponent for you to practice against. If you want, I can pop inside your body, an' you can work on willin' me to keep my grubby mitts to m'self. Establishin' those boundaries of who's who an' whatnot. How dirty d'you want me to play startin' off?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks kind of upset, but also conflicted as Noeline talks about Ida, perhaps feeling some of the Metal Demon's less refined emotions wash over her for a moment. "... I thought so too, but -- I suppose I haven't been able to realise how to protect myself adequately, on the level of the mindscape."

She furrows her brow and drapes her arms just a bit tighter. "... I'll draft some guidelines and run them by you," she decides to Noeline, perhaps preferring her to take the lead on such matters. "I'd like the villagers' input as well, of course, but I'd rather exercise them as a last resort only."

A pause. "I don't know. Miss Ida thinks I..." She shakes her head. "I don't know... there is jealousy, there is perceived slight... it confuses me."

"Setting boundaries... maybe that is what I need to do," Riese murmurs. "I've become too used to the sensation and emotion of acceptance..." She blinks a few times, and says, "U-um-- pop inside..."

She shivers just a bit at that idea, and says, "W-with a... light touch, then, at first? I've never had this experience before." She looks a bit concernedly to Noeline.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"... if that were the problem, it would be much simpler," Noeline admits with a huff. "We have ground rules in place, and guards to enforce them, certainly. The concept of 'laws' is easy. But-- laughing because Id is threatening us is not exactly a offence. Raving at us about how we're too goody-two-shoes to be believed is not exactly a crime. Having two visitors argue loudly over their respective religions is not exactly something we should discourage. We have to be careful where we draw the line when it comes to disputes like that. Besides, we are trying to teach forgiveness," she adds, letting out a softer breath.

"All I know is that, for Miss Everstead-Rey, attempting to be understanding or concilatory just seems to make her angrier. She seems set on a confrontation, and appears to want to toe the line to try to force one as hard as she can. ... and all from someone who, weeks ago, was a steadfast ally," she adds, her voice laced with regret - and a sudden spike of anger when she continues: "An /inconvenience/, she called us. Why can't we just be unthinking and passive?"

It takes her a moment to let that part dissipate from her mind; she closes her eyes for a moment to help matters, then reaches for Riesenlied's hand to hold onto it. "... well... we do make a habit of trying 'firsts', as of late," she chuckles to herself with a shake of her head. "I will be here, and watching as best I can. If you do anything untoward in there, Miss Ragnell, you realize I will be extremely upset," she adds, the last part at something of an amused drawl.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"...Well, I wasn't talkin' 'bout those kinds o' things anyway," Ragnell admits when Noeline details some of the things Ida has apparently done, eyebrows raised. "Wow. Looks like I had the wrong idea 'bout what was goin' on, then." It is what it is, though. She looks back over at Riesenlied. "Hmmm... Well, she *is* a human. Humans get butthurt over anything," Ragnell comments eloquently. "Seem to recall Zed wrecked her chances at gettin' a better career or education or somethin' along those lines, so who knows? Maybe it's an offshoot o' that. Either way, if she keeps tryin' to shove, maybe you need to tell her to grow the fuck up. You can forgive someone's bullshit without lettin' 'em keep it up."

Not that Ragnell is a particularly forgiving person--but she's not really the type to hold a grudge, either. All the same, she definitely relates more to Noeline than Riesenlied on this matter--but that's no surprised. Ragnell realized almost right away that she and Noeline have a lot in common, in certain ways. She half-smiles at the hand-holding, then chuckles at Noeline's wry threat. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle," she drawls right back, winking at her and Riesenlied.

Then her form vanishes, or more accurately condenses into a ball of golden light, that then attempts to enter Riesenlied's body. It's not painful, but it might be a curious sensation for her--or maybe not, considering this isn't her first time. Ragnell doesn't speak at first, but Riese will likely get the sense that she's assessing what she sees inside and giving Riese time to get used to her presence. And what *does* she 'see'?

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks somewhat contrite and frazzled as she looks to Noeline to say, "E-err, yes, of course... no, you're right. Guidelines really don't help..." compared to her normal self, she really isn't having a good time trying to get her thoughts in order today, after what'd happened.

"... I don't think it's that," she comments as she tries to get onto some slightly more solid footing. "I think Miss Ida is experiencing an incongruency between the academic career she's had imposed on her her entire life, and what she really believes in... and until she answers that gap for herself, I don't think anything I can do will help."

She glances to the air. "Purpose. I think that may be the core of her conflict..."

She holds onto Noeline's hand, and-- yelps just for a moment as she winces and doubles over for a moment, as the sensations take hold--

--and a frigid sensation whelms Ragnell for a moment as she steps into an ice-slicked, frosted room, featureless save for a massive shamanic ankh shttered at the back. It's cold. It's lonely. It's full of despair and grief.

In the middle, Riesenlied is seated... inertly, her arms and legs tucked in, her eyes covered by a young girl in tribal clothing with a corpse-like appearance, her skin the colour of frostbite and death, her fingers caked with frozen blood. Her fringes hang low over her.

Well. This is a surprise. Hello there, stranger, grins the young girl as she squeezes her palms over Riesenlied's eyes a little more.

In the real world, Riesenlied whimpers just a little as she leans a bit closer to Noeline. She's trying to escape the sensation and try to puzzle out what she's sensing within her emotions, her mind... and what's physical. "Keep-- keep speaking to me," she decides of her partner.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline just huffs out a breath at Riesenlied, reaching up to cradle the other demon to her. "... relax. I can at least manage things like that," she adds with a breath, her hand sifting through the other demon's hair; if she's bothered by Ragnell being /right there/ she doesn't say anything about it, instead just offering Riese a shoulder. "And-- well, I suppose you're right. But she has certainly chosen a terrifically bad time to try testing our patience."

A beat. "Riese did tell her that, in fact. A slap was involved." She sure as /hell/ radiates pride about it.

She's kind of prepared for the way in which Ragnell flits away, and her expression tightens as Riesenlied makes a tremulous request. For a moment, she wavers--

--and then lets out another huff of air, eyes closed as she flicks out some hair with her spare hand. "You know, Janey decided the other day she was going to march to Port Timney and get herself a dress like Calamity Jane's? She was a half hour into the desert before I managed to catch up with her, and then she has the gall to demand a piggyback home," she grumbles, though in a rather fond and picturesque manner. "Really, I don't know what to do with them sometimes."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Hmmm... That's pretty insightful," Ragnell muses of Riesenlied's observation of Ida. "Probably, anyway. But I'd be damn surprised if you weren't right." She can't say anything about purpose or not--but that's usually a human problem, so she'd believe that too. Maybe she'd better pay Ida a visit for a variety of reasons. When Noeline fills her in about the slap, Ragnell laughs long and loud about it. "Good for you, Riese! Too bad it sounds like she didn't get the damn message--I'm all outta suggestions there, by the way--but that's humans for ya." She grins at the two, totally unbothered by their mutual affection, before she turns into a ball of light and lets herself into Riesenlied's mind.

However, what she encounters therein is not at all what she expected. She anticipated something orderly, regimented, maybe open since she's having trouble keeping others out. She didn't actually anticipate a second someone *else* in here already, full of ice and despair, and if it weren't for her quick wits, she would find herself at an extreme backfoot at the appearance of the corpse-like young girl covering Riesenlied's eyes.

As it is, the Lightning Seraph stares at her for a few seconds. Then she tips her hat in glib greeting. "Right back atcha," she drawls--but despite her casual-as-ever demeanor, her guard is decidedly *up*. "So who the hell're you?"

She doesn't bother asking if Riese can hear them. If her visit is a surprise for the frozen stranger, then communication is likely not two-way. (A shame, because Ragnell would have a hoot over Janey demanding a piggyback ride home.)

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied is trying to regulate her breathing as she sits down on a small mat she's prepared, still with her hand held to Noeline's. This is certainly a new sensation to her, but one that she'd... become a bit more aware of, after Id had her trek through her own mind and discover the depths of the wreck that it'd become within... of her own neglect, of her own denial.

"... I hear Maya really inspires her too, given she's actually around. But she decided that 'Mayay' wasn't a very good name, so she kept to Janey..." She furrows her brow. "But I'm glad you found them before anything awful happened."

She does blush as she murmur, "I--I did apologise for slapping her afterwards!" A huff.

The girl, on the other hand, puts her fingers to her cheeks and spins around. The chipper, cheerful figment of a dead person. Nasrin al-Rashid.

She glances towards the seated Riesenlied, slightly slouched over now that no one's holding her... her eyes are shut, smeared with the cold, frozen blood from Nasrin's hand. Like she's sleeping... or unconscious. Or perhaps, like a doll, so inert, nothing at all like how a living person should act.

I figure you're here after her? She's a hard one to wake up, though. I've been trying for so long.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline is blissfully unaware of what is going on in Riesenlied's mind; it might be for the best, at least for the moment, because it's difficult to say what she'd make of it if she knew - or whether she would really even be able to understand the worries that have thrust the situation forwards, given her own thoughts on Riesenlied's past thus far.

"... she had the start of a sensible pack, at least. Water, some rations that wouldn't spoil in the sun, a blanket - really, we might just want to start organizing some day trips to keep them busy. On the whole, that girl is too smart for her own good, I swear."

A pause, and then she sighs. "... I don't think you should have, honestly, or at least I don't think that one was necessary. When it comes down to it, she was threatening you. A slap was - all told - being rather forgiving to her as it is. But-- it's fine," she adds, her brow furrowing just a little. "Relax, and think of more pleasant things."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Nasrin al-Rashid," Ragnell repeats thoughtfully. The name sounds familiar. Like... "Any relation to Nazgul al-Rashid?"

It's sort of a joke, but it's also sort of not.

When Nasrin glances at Riesenlied, so too does Ragnell. She's not exactly sure how someone can lack consciousness in one's own consciousness--her first thought is that she may have dropped in unintentionally into the *sub*conscious, but then Nasrin talks about waking her up. "Sorta," she replies. "I'm here 'cuz she asked me to come here. Didn't say nothin' 'bout you, though." She looks back at Nasrin. She's frowning, but it's not hostile, only thoughtful. There's a creepy air to Nasrin, and Ragnell doesn't think she ought to stay here long, but she's had perfectly civil chats with worse before. Besides--

"Why're you tryin' to wake her up? An' how're you two related?" --if she's bound to anything, it's to her own curiosity.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

There's a kind of sorrowful smile from Riesenlied as she breathes out -- trembling just a little; she's feeling cold sweat and a chill run down her spine, but she's not certain why. Is this what it feels like to... consciously separate your thoughts? To consciously think of what is 'me', and 'not me'...

"She'll be an excellent adventurer, but... I want her to be well prepared for the dangers to come," she expresses.

She looks to Noeline. "... it's an apology because I consciously know it doesn't make anything better. I was frustrated. That's all."

Nasrin lets out a little laugh as she places her near-crumbling fingers onto her forehead. There's a glint of her eye from where she does so. There's disgust, and yet... disappointment from that eye. Not at Ragnell... but clearly, at Riesenlied. Or what passes for the unmoving, inert form that appears as Riesenlied in this unusual landscape.

Nazgul. Ah, yes. So, she clings to that name still. Of course. Like everything else here... timeless and unmoving, in a state of neither blossom nor decay.

She steps just a bit closer.

She asked you to come in? Brave. The last time was... that man. Id. There's a rueful chuckle from the girl, as she glances back towards Ragnell. I'm happy to have visitors, though. This place can be so, so, so terribly lonely at times.

The smile widens. And on the topic of 'how they are related', she simply speaks: I once said: 'seek the new world'. Does that sound familiar?

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"... frustration is a fair response to that sort of situation," is all Noeline shoots back with - but she pairs it with a smoothing down of Riesenlied's hair, and an affectionate touch. "... as for Janey, well - situations like that are what make me think she could do with a bit of a trial run, as it were. Perhaps we can find some place mostly explored out, and keep an eye on her as she buzzes through it a little. It might stoke her fire, I suppose, but it might also satisfy it for the time being."

She pauses, and lets out a quiet breath, studying Riesenlied's expression. "Remember where you are. Wayside's just below. That part's all real. --I see we've lost some tile from the bar's roof," she puffs out her cheeks a little. "For that matter-- it looks like we need some more maintenance on some of the Gears. Photosphere wasn't filled with sand, after all."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Ragnell looks again from Nasrin to Riesenlied, slow and contemplative, and then to Nasrin again. Lots of people have self-hatred, but this is ridiculous. She shrugs at the comment on bravery, and notes the mention of Id. Hm. Either way, she eyeballs the room, then chuckles and shrugs again. "I can just imagine."

That smile fades at the quote. "Are you tryin' to imply you're one an' the same?" she asks. It *would* explain why she's here in the first place, though one would wonder why she's trying to awaken her other self in that case... especially one that, on the outside, is already conscious.

Ragnell is beginning to get the impression that Metal Demons are fuckin' weird. Like, weirder than Zed, even.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"... it may be fair, but it's just--" Riesenlied hesitates. But she knows she shouldn't dwell on it, not when she feels this fragile, and when Noeline's urging her to let it go for now anyway. "... I want to... set up a little play-area where she might be able to exercise her desire to Dig a bit, yes. The soccerfield is a good idea, but I think the kids could use more safe areas to play in..."

She pauses, and says, "I know. I need to contact Shalune or get some other mechanics in to repair the Gears we have... we will need them as defence in the coming future."

Nasrin wiggles her finger for a moment, and then bobs her head as she closes one eye. If we are, it's patently absurd that I appear to legitimately be /someone else/, don't you think? There's a somewhat blithe sigh as she shrugs her light frustration out.

She looks to Ragnell again. That ghostly spirit that she was talking about... I just let her straight on through. Seemed like a good lesson to teach her.

There's a smirk. And judging on how you've come here, on her behest, I assume she's wigging out about it. Good.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

For a moment, Noeline hums; she doesn't say anything, clearly lapsed into thought, but then breaks into a half-smile. "Well-- Kalve has any number of little caves around this area mapped out, hm? Perhaps we can fill one with a few things. Elementary little traps for them to solve, perhaps widen out some of the shafts. It would be a very odd project, but it might be a pleasant enough one as well. Some of the Wings could use something to do on their off time," she suggests, deliberately bright about it.

"I'll see if I can contact them, at the very least. Really, I've been meaning to speak to a couple of their number," she then adds, with something of a light frown. "Some of them still seem-- very worn out, I suppose you'd say."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Is it?" Ragnell replies, unfazed. "Riese's a Metal Demon. Metal Demons are made outta liquid metal, and Riese in particular is Tainted. S'not so unreasonable that she mighta looked different once upon a time--an' anyway, you're a projection inside her mind. People's self-images don't always line up with what they actually look like, 'specially if we're gettin' all metaphorical an' shit." She gestures at Nasrin's corpse-like pallor and the frozen blood on her fingers: case in point, she seems to say. "So, no, I don't think so. Though you did remind me that aside from the Mother-worshippin' bits, I know fuck-all about Riese's past, so hey, good job there."

After all, if Nasrin is someone *else*, then... Ragnell really has no idea. And the reason she has no idea is because there's a lot about Riesenlied's past she doesn't really know. Sure, it's because she never asked, but the point remains. "How long've you been in here?" she wonders. The talk about the ghost, though, gets a chuckle. "Yep, basically. 'parently, she never even noticed she was possessed 'til it was all over. I offered to hop in, test her mental defenses--or lack thereof--an' instead, I found you." Whatever she is.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"I don't get the sense I should disturb him too much, but I should ask," Riesenlied admits in a slightly more timid tone. "Jedan did say that he wanted to help out with the excavation efforts... and for those that aren't able enough to help with the main waterway, that would be something of a useful effort. We'll consider it..."

A pause. "I don't fault them... this is a rather wearisome journey we take ourselves on. But I appreciate each of their efforts, every single one."

Nasrin lets out a hum at that and rubs at her chin, which is something of a very delicate effort given she might rip her fingers or chin off. Stupid corpse body. Mother-worship... ah, yes. It's too bad she clings tight to an image of Mother that she wishes her to be, instead of what she is probably like.

She quietly walks closer towards the chair. How long...? ... I don't know. As long as I've known myself to be here. I'm an old vestige. Like an awful stain you can't get out of your shirt. And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, it looks like.

There's a rueful frown as she glances at the inert Riesenlied once more. ... tell her I'm at least glad she's trying. And hey, if you can poke havoc and tease her all around, then all the better, right?

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"So long as we stress there isn't any urgency to it," Noeline decides back - though at this point, she's studying Riesenlied's face, keeping her eyes on the other Metal Demon to try to track her progress. Her gaze is cool, but not upset so much as just ready for anything. "Comfort and necessity come first, after all, in equal measure. Fortunately, we seem to be doing well on both fronts," she adds, as if to reassure Riesenlied.

"By the by, if that's Ragnell, you're doing a very good job of impersonating Riese," she adds rather wryly, apparently intending to just knock the Metal Demon out of her thoughts just a little.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

'What she is probably like,' huh. Ragnell considers this. That sure has a lot of interesting implications... However, she probably shouldn't stay here too much longer, even though she's got a mountain of other questions for Nasrin. A vestige of what? How long as Sleepy Riese been out? Why is she here in the first place? But hey, maybe Riese has the answer to some of them... even if she might or might not even know Nasrin is here.

"Will do," she drawls. "I'll drop by again sometime. You're interestin'. The name's Ragnell, by the by." She grins and seeks, metaphysically, the exit out of the room, to float up to the forefront of Riesenlied's mind and leave the icy room behind. As she goes, she says, "As for pokin' havoc and teasin'--Rin, that's what I *do*."

She drifts up to the surface in time to hear Noeline address her. If Riese's guard is sufficiently down that Ragnell can just take control, she seizes the opportunity to do exactly that and have Riesenlied simper, "Oh, NoeLI~ne, your head looks like a cucco! *Kiss me, you fool*."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks just a little more rattled for-- no readily apparent reason; at the exact time, the mindscape appear to rumble just a little, in time for Nasrin to whistle as she says, Oh, I think she might be getting a wee bit more aware. Our chat-time's probably up for now, but... I really enjoyed this talk. It's nice to meet you. She smirks. Give 'er hell.

The corpse girl walks back and, as if dutifully doing so, wraps her arms around Riesenlied's eyes once more. Is it like a... ritual, between the two? Who knows. If only you'd wake up sometime...

Riesenlied gasps a bit louder, as she stammers, "U-uh--" as she clutches at her heart; the Tear begins to shimmer softly, and Ragnell does the metaphysical equivalent of kicking the door down and going /wham/!

The amusement in her tone as she says that line /definitely/ makes it sound like it isn't Riese.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline's eyebrows raise - and she leans back just a little with an incredibly comical grump. Fortunately, she's not the sort to pull a Ginny and demand a replay of a breathy voice - it probably says a lot for her strength of mind, at least, given how she normally is otherwise. "And here she was doing well," she grumbles, but in a good-natured fashion as she tilts her head forwards and lightly squeezes Riesenlied's hand. "Surely you aren't going to stand for that, hm?" she encourages.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Awwwww, no kisses? You're no fun, Noenoe," 'Riesenlied' complains, before breaking into mischievous, non-Riese-like laughter. "Was she? I was busy talkin' to someone else, so I wouldn't go gettin' too proud just yet." Her smile fades and eyes narrow. "The short story is, Riese's mental defenses are a *lot* worse than any of us thought, so I'm gonna be meaner than I was plannin' on."

Noeline squeezes Riesenlied's hand. 'Riesenlied' grins, eyes glittering--but Ragnell doesn't, for the time being, go anywhere.

/You want me out? You gotta kick me out,/ she directs towards the real Riesenlied. If she *is* real, all considered. /Or should I go ahead an' give Noeline a kiss for you on my own~?/

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied is just -- flat out gone for a moment as Ragnell bursts in with her vivacious proclamations; within the surface of the mind, the image is a lot less vivid, insufficient to create something like a mindscape. It's a lot noisier, a fluctuating sea of thoughts and little worries and anxieties...

But there's strength, as well. Fragile as she might be, she is possessed of a will, after all, and at that comment, there's an adorable (from Ragnell's point of view) spike of youthful jealousy as she bursts out with--

"E-enough of that!"

--that she finally channels an empathic burst out, an emanation of photons shimmering out in a scattering spiral as she tries to coax Ragnell out of her space and into her own.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline squints, tapping into her Medium - this isn't exactly Duras Drum's field, though, so she can't really detect what's actually going on between the pair. "... really... surely you know by now that if there's one thing Riese can't ever see herself doing, it's giving in?" she comments rather lightly, flicking out some of her hair as she watches.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Oh, it's not *Riese* I was plannin' on havin' give in," 'Riesenlied' purrs--but then that jealousy flares from within, and although the empathic burst that follows up is gentle enough to be described as a 'coax,' it is a distinct push, and Ragnell decides to let her have this one. It's a step in the right direction, and there's lots of questions that need asking.

With a soundless laugh, the Seraph eases back, allowing Riesenlied to take the forefront again. A moment later, and a golden orb bursts out of her body, then materalizes as Ragnell in front of them. "That's a start!" she says cheerfully. "Coulda been firmer about it, but we'll leave that for next time. For now, I got something I wanna ask you two:

"Who's Nasrin al-Rashid?"

One can practically hear the music stop.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks exhausted at this point, the burst rather clearly having taken a lot out of her; it's rather characteristic of someone without fine control of their powers, magical or otherwise -- bursts of raw power, and no stamina and the exhaustion that soon comes afterwards. "That's a--"

She pauses, as the music indeed stops.

Her lips thin for a moment, and she starts to visibly hesitate and fret. "She's..." she sucks in a breath. "... someone I..."

She swallows a lump, as she gazes to Noeline.

"... someone dear to me, long ago. ..." She lowers her head. "A shaman, from the Fereshte tribe in Elru. And..."

She trembles further. "Someone I might have... killed..." She sounds deeply fractured and uncertain about that, as her voice starts to fray.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

At the very least, Noeline looks remarkably unsurprised by the question, though her brow does sort of furrow in a mild reproach, as if wordlessly suggesting that the Seraph could perhaps have waited a couple of hours before she threw that one out. Gently, her fingers lace with Riesenlied's once more, as if to redouble the touch, and she encourages Riese to lean back against her shoulder. "... it's alright. You did well," she mutters first, not terribly sure what else to say at first.

Still, Riesenlied supplies a few details, enough for Noeline to feel the need to offer a little more in the way of defence. "... her memories on the matter are-- rather jumbled, and understandably panicked. ... I find it very hard to believe you would be directly at fault," she adds quietly, with a great deal of faith in her voice.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Hmmmmmmm," Ragnell murmurs, watching Riesenlied closely as she struggles through her explanation of who this person is. She turns her gaze to Noeline, who doesn't look surprised by the namedrop, but DOES look at Ragnell like she was out of line for bringing it up just this second. While that never stopped Ragnell from being a jerk in the past, she does recognize Riesenlied's growing emotional distress and apparent exhaustion. That's all the more reason to train--but she'd rather not have Riesenlied flip out or faint while in the middle of questioning her, so...

"I see," she says. "I'll drop it for now, then, but later on, I wanna hear more about her. Consider it my price for helpin' you out." There's nothing like satisfaction of personal curiosity, after all. Information is *so* much better than money.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied may be a sensitive and kind person, easily deterred at times... but, she generally has a firm sense of werewithal -- this might be the first time Ragnell's seen her this rattled. She's genuinely fearful as she lowers her head and nods, but it's faint and disheartened -- even Noeline's words don't do much to convince her otherwise.

"... I--I really... I thank you for your help... I have a lot to work on, truly. When the time is right, I definitely will..." she admits in a small voice. "... I'd like to-- I need to-- I have-- things to take care of."

It's an extremely clumsy way to excuse herself, and the way she kind of unstably stumbles on her feet as she heads down towards Wayside with her wings spread -- at the very least gliding down instead of falling -- is rather telling of her distress.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline - doesn't stop Riesenlied from leaving, knowing it might be best to allow the metal demon a chance to disengage; on the other hand, she doesn't feel terribly comfortable just leaving Ragnell so abruptly, and sighs quietly to herself as she picks a little at her hair. "... thank you for the assistance," she admits after a moment, before puffing up into a sigh as she watches Riese glide away. "And-- you could say she helped Riese become who she is today, in a good way. And yet, haunts her still," she adds.

... it is entirely likely that Noeline doesn't /quite/ know just how literal she's being.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Clumsy indeed. Ragnell stares straight at Riesenlied all through her fumbling farewell, and watches her as she glides down on tattered wings to the village below. Noeline doesn't follow after, though it wouldn't have bothered Ragnell if she had.

"Sure thing," she replies. A pause at the way Noeline phrases that follow-up remark. She hadn't seemed surprised by the namedrop earlier. Ragnell peers at her. It may be possible that Noeline's being literal entirely by coincidence, but...

"So then you know Nasrin's inside her?"

...Ragnell has no reason to hold back for *Noeline's* sake.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

For a moment, Noeline blinks - for a moment, she looks deeply uncertain of herself, an expression that doesn't normally sit well on her face. Perhaps it's the subject matter; Noeline does pride herself on knowing her own mind, but that brings a very literal and straightforward interpretation to a lot of often touchy subjects. "... I-- cannot claim to know what you saw. But I certainly know that the memory of her, and what might have transpired, still looms large."

She puffs up again, for just a moment, and looks back to where Riesenlied has touched down. Strife suddenly bobs its way up into view, having responded to a gesture, and draws in low enough to allow Noeline to hop on. "Anything more than that-- would be a little unfair to say without her permission, hm?" she grins faintly, and without much humour.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Hmmmm," Ragnell murmurs again, eyes searching Noeline as if for an answer she might have hidden from her. Then she shrugs, nonchalant as ever. "Fair 'nough," she drawls. "I'll catch you two later, then."

Then she turns and heads off to hoof it, leaving Noeline with Strife to take the leisurely way down.