2021-04-05: A Wolf Hiring Wolves
- Log: A Wolf Hiring Wolves
- Cast: Xantia, Leon Albus
- Where: The Karlsefni
- Date: April 05, 2021
- Summary: Xantia has decided her approach in how to suggest the expedition that she wants to go on to Leon. It's certainly one way to go about it.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
It may have been noticeable for a while that something's been a bit off about Xantia. Mostly in her lack of eagerness in getting involved with Wolves matters, which is particularly odd where it comes to things she's normally always up for, such as when a fight or some sort of demolition activity is all but guaranteed. Though she's mentioned not feeling well, for some time it's been only Fei and the medical experts among the Wolves who've been aware of the whole story.
But then the most unusual thing ever happened. Xantia made an appointment. Xantia made an appointment. Everyone by now is used to her messaging them out of the blue or just storming into a room when she needs something, but not this time. She actually just calmly asked Leon when would be a good time to discuss a business matter, like some kind of... normal person. Although she wouldn't say what exactly it was about, other than that it was something personally important to her.
However, upon stepping into Leon's office on the Karlsefni, she wastes no time in getting straight to the point. She's never really done 'official business' before, but she's pretty sure it means you should be stone-faced serious and not waste the other person's time. And so, she just immediately gets to the heart of her request.
"I want to hire the Black Wolves."
Then she realizes that could mean a lot of things, so she quickly amends, "...Not to, you know, do an assassination or anything, to protect somebody."
Then she realizes that she's being vague, so she amends it again. "...It's me, I want you to protect me."
At this point, she rubs the back of her head, her attempt at a Business Face falling apart as she loses confidence in herself. She's so not doing this right. "...I probably should've started by saying that, huh? Or... explain anything about what's been happening first."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
Leon is, of course, aware of it. He keeps tabs on the Wolves; he may have some distance as a commander, enjoying the way that he doesn't have to open up too much to someone as their boss. But, Leon also looks after them... and he is aware that Xantia hasn't been feeling well. A few questions here; a few check-ins with the handful of people that help the more combat-oriented Wolves out.
So he also accepted the appointment, gladly, even if he was surprised. He is more used to her barging in.
His office is simple: a couple of bookshelves, partly filled with atlases, some of the ledgers for the Wolves, a few histories of Kislev and Aveh, and some of the Karlsefni's technical manuals. He also has a desk, with a pair of chairs, and a lantern that is plugged into the wall. He still feels a little odd, using electricity so frequently and casually.
He tilts his head -- blinks his eyes -- and then tilts his head more. "Hire us?" Leon says. "Well--I'm certainly all ears. But... you're one of us. I'd feel odd charging you. And we'd protect you without requiring payment."
He cracks a smile -- then he shakes his head once. "Go ahead," he says. "An explanation would be very helpful for knowing where to start."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Even if Xantia got a little more Official about things than she normally does, that doesn't mean that she's particularly good at the etiquette side of things. She didn't even give Leon the chance for a greeting or anything, ultimately it's not too different from when she just barges in. Just that this time he knew when she would. Other than that... well, she clearly hasn't even thought about taking a seat or anything.
Xantia smiles, a bit awkwardly at Leon saying payment wouldn't be needed. "I thought you'd say that, but... well, this is personal, and probably stupid, and I just, I'd feel bad asking you to maybe put yourselves in danger for something like this. But, if it's a job, that'd just be business as usual, wouldn't it?" So her reasoning goes, anyway. Plus, she assures, "I can afford it, I don't need a lot of money. You... kind of already give me everything I really need."
But, that ultimately still is getting ahead of things. Why was she even expecting Leon could agree to something he doesn't know the details of? It's not like it should be too much of problem... by now she's gotten most of the discomfort out of her system through talking to Lily, Citan and Fei about it. She can only shrug a bit, not much she can do but to say it plainly.
"You remember what happened that day in Dazil, of course. When I lost control and attacked you. I'm worried about that happening again. I'm hearing the same noise again that I heard back then, this static-like sound that no one else can hear. If everything happens the same way it did last time..." She grimaces at the painful memory, turning her head away for a short moment. "...Well, I don't want to let it get to that point. So, I have to do something before it does."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"I... suppose that's true," Leon allows, if hesitantly. Even if he wonders, for a moment; they've all ended up helping each other, sometimes in dangerous things. But, he decides to save that argument for later. He can hear her out first.
"I remember," he says of Dazil. His tone is more serious; he nods his head once, and then he glances downward. "You're hearing it again? I'm glad you mentioned. And I think doing something before it gets to that point is wise." His fingers drum on the desk; a quick pattern, working through nervous energy and nervous thoughts.
"...Do you have some idea?" he asks. "Some place we should go--something that you need, Xantia?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia momentarily becomes more upbeat upon hearing the words 'I'm glad you mentioned'. "I glad I could mention it! Last time I wanted to say something for the longest time, and I just couldn't, something somehow kept me from telling anybody... but now I can actually say it! It's such a relief!" Before all this, she never would've thought that'd be something she couldn't take for granted and thus be able to feel that way about. She sees this as a hopeful sign: "Maybe that means whatever I'm hearing is weaker now, or doesn't have as much effect on me."
But ultimately, exactly what's going on is still guesswork to a large degree, so her tone returns to a more neutral one in short order. "But... it's too dangerous to assume that nothing will happen this time if I leave things like that." It's not in Xantia's nature to wait for things in general, it makes sense that she'd want to take action if at all possible.
So, what is her idea? Upon being asked if she knows of a place where they should go, she makes a 'sort of' gesture with her head, answering that question with another question. "Do you remember what I asked you for back in Dazil, just before I completely lost control?" That day, Xantia was helping to carry supplies when she suddenly dropped everything and ran up to Leon, looking desperate as she asked to borrow his Gear, insisting that it was an emergency. When Leon didn't agree immediately and asked for the reason, that's when she suddenly started attacking everyone. She'll supply that information herself if Leon doesn't.
Upon confirming what happened that day, she can't help but look a little uncomfortable - it's still not easy to think back to all the terrible things she did to hurt her friends. Pushing past that, she explains her reason for asking that. "...it's some sort of signal. It... calls me, tells me to go somewhere. I think that the reason for... things going they way did is because I ran into an obstacle."
She smiles then, adding, "I think I have you to thank for me still being here. If you'd just let me take the Gear then without asking questions... I don't know where I would be right now."
Her smile fades, as she finishes, "...That's what I want to go find out. See what it is that this signal leads to."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"I'm glad you can, too," Leon says. "That was a concern. But... I understand. We can hope that it won't lead to the same place -- but we shouldn't assume that, either. Best to be cautious, too."
He quiets down, and listens to her explain.
He nods at her question; he remembers his reluctance to give his Gear over, especially without knowing the reason. He is quiet, while she works through it -- though not accusatory. Since then, he has fought more than his fair share of friends. "I see... so you think that it is calling you back," Leon says. "And... you want us to come with you."
He hesitates. "In case whatever it is tries to take you--or change you--or any number of bad outcomes," Leon says. "Well... of course. We can do that, Xantia. I wouldn't want you to go alone. And I agree--there is nothing to be gained by ignoring it. We need to go look... we just need to do so carefully."
He hesitates. "Have you pinpointed where it might be coming from?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia nods firmly at the 'you want us to come with you' assertion. "If I go by myself, I end up losing control again, and there's no one there to help me..." She trails off, unable to fill in that blank, but it would obviously be an undesirable outcome all the same. Leon lists just some of the many things that could potentially go wrong with this.
She can't help but chuckle, realizing, "There was a time where I wouldn't have thought of any of that. But... what I have now is too important to me." She amends that sentiment with all due sincerity. "All of you are too important to me."
Only to become more animated right after and she starts pacing around the office. "So you see the problem here, right? I don't want to lose you, so I can't risk going alone, but if I ask you to come with me, well, I don't know what'll happen, it could be really dangerous. I figure it's probably less risky if you all are there, but I can't just say 'come with me to wherever it is I'm going' without knowing anything about it, who'd agree to that?" She turns to face the desk, concluding, "So, I thought that if I just hired you to keep me safe, that would make the most sense. Don't you?"
Now that her line of thinking has finally come back around to where she started the conversation, she properly responds to Leon's question. "...So no, I don't have any idea about where we'd end up going. I'm pretty sure I can follow this back to where it wants me to go, but it's just... a direction. I probably won't know what the destination is until I get there. All I'm sure of right now is... it's somewhere on the big island. The one where Port Rosalia is? That one." She pauses, and places a hand on her chin. "Which is probably not the same place it wanted me to go when I was in Ignas. So maybe there's more than one place this signal is coming from."
Abruptly, Xantia pulls out the chair on the opposite end of Leon's desk and sits down. Better late than never. "...There's something else I'm worried about. It could be people sending this signal. And if it is, they'd probably expect me to come alone. In that case, I'd like them to keep thinking that for as long as possible, or I may not be able to learn anything from them. But I'm no good with planning things. So I was hoping you could help with... you know. Doing this right."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
Leon nods with understanding -- if Xantia goes by herself, she could lose herself. There would be no telling if they would find her again -- or find her in time. His eyes glance downward.
"Well... none of us would want to lose you, or have you lose everything, in such a way," Leon says.
He looks back up. "We take risks like this. We've chosen this life -- perhaps had the choice made for us, perhaps had alternatives cut off -- and we haven't walked away from it. Nor would we walk away from you. Or each other."
Except, a little part of him whispers, Josie did just that.
"We don't need a specific location," he says. "We'll follow your lead. If it's Celesti... well, there is a lot of land. But it sounds that you know where to go. And if someone is there..."
Leon hesitates. "...then, we come armed and we come prepared. And we come ready to extract you, and quickly, if it all goes south."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia lets out a deep breath following this, leaning back in her seat. "That's a relief. ...Not that I thought that you'd tell me not to do this, but, you know. It's just reassuring to hear you say things like that. You know what you're doing, and I really don't." She chuckles, perfectly self-aware about how she just charges into most things without thinking. She's comfortable with that approach in most situations. But this is hardly the typical sort of situation.
After a moment of silence, she leans forward and folds her hands on the desk, adding, "And... I'm glad you feel that way, too. I've said it before, but I owe you a lot for letting me stay with the Wolves, even though I'm... not very professional." Granted, a lot more now than she was in the beginning, but it's still highly unlikely anybody would use that word to describe Xantia.
With that, she rises from her chair, back to her usual cheerful self. "Well then, I don't wanna get in the way of, you know, Wolves Stuff, so... I'll leave the timing up to you! I'll be counting on you when the time comes!"
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"That's kind of you to say," Leon says, with a wry smile. "I suppose I must be more convincing than I am honest, in that case."
Of course, he does know what he's doing more often than he admits -- but sometimes, that's the problem.
But, it's not today.
He smiles back at Xantia, then nods his head once. "I'm glad you're with us. We're not, perhaps, the most professional outfit... but I've come to realize it's a better way to operate. Strange, how I've grown more than accustomed to this life. I dare say that I like it, now."
He tilts his head -- then nods. "We'll do so in just a few days, then. I see no reason to wait."