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saving all my sinning - Aisha - 03-19-2021
Finally returned to Halo after her venture to the grounds and Torchline, Aisha was buckling down on the preparations for the Monster Hunter's Guild. Having gathered enough interest, it was time to begin planning the work day, establishing the guild and creating the guild hall. She'd visited the old inn plenty of times now, just for excitements sake, to draw diagrams and blueprints of how they would furnish and store.
She'd spent the morning training and doing other Shield duties, the afternoon relaxing for a bit, and now as the sun began to fall she'd placed herself at the long table by the fireplace, papers in hand regarding her plans for the guild. Things to gather, people to talk to, first orders of business. Brows were narrowed, lost in thought as she scribbled away.
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-01-2021
Elide has on a hooded coat as she steps into the Barracks' office quarters, boots scuffing quietly through the doorway. Without the threat of the sunlight, even if it's setting, she is able to shed the hood. Her dark eyes hone in on the appearance of Aisha. Elide has been here since the end of LongNight, having returned to her practice, numbed herself to the blade and shield. It is the first time she's approached the swordmaster directly since then, however. She had noticed her absence and pieced it together due to the signs posted upon the notice board. A guild revival is afoot.
There are papers and a pen in Aisha's hands as she sits beside the fire. She's very intent on it, judging from the way she is working with pressed brows and a busy writing hand. It is Elide's favorite passtime; writing. She's done a lot more of that herself, lately.
The tall, lanky Ascended walks over slowly, hands folded behind her back, peering towards Aisha with interest. [say]"The pen makes for a mighty sword,"[/say] she nods approvingly towards the papers. She has a more-or-less relaxed demeanor, though she doesn't quite smile.
[say]"What is this I hear of another monster-hunting guild?"[/say]
RE: saving all my sinning - Aisha - 04-02-2021
Aisha hadn't looked up when the door had opened, or when the sound of boots scuffing was heard over the crackling of the fire. She was filling out a page about the poison bird she and Deimos had encountered in the Oerwoud, describing it in the most eloquent way she could since art was not a strong suit. She would add it to the pile, the collection of her own monstrous memories that she had begun to chronicle, so her future companions could open to a page and regale in her thoughts, her experiences, and the knowledge that came from it.
Her hand writing was quick, not bad but hasty, it was obvious in the cant of the letters, the way they bled into each other, ink blotchy here and there. Finally as Elide's footsteps grew nearer, Aisha looked up from her work, her own hazel gaze falling on that of the ascended, tall, limber, and as broodingly intriguing as Aisha remembered her. Aisha watched her with a gaze similar to that she'd carried with her when they first met, the leopard slipping through as her pupils turned to slits.
They went back to normal at the words, a smirk tugging at her lips. Leaning back, she kicked out a leg at the chair next to her, pushing it out as an invitation to sit, [say]"I hoped you'd be interested, but I hadn't seen you in a while."[/say] Her thoughts briefly visited Longnight, curious to a first hand account, but holding back for now.
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-02-2021
Elide doesn't peer into Aisha's work, not one to stick her nose if it should not belong, though she does spy the hastily jotted handwriting. No, she is more observant of the shift in Aisha's pupils, but already she knows that the woman is close to her leopard within. She finds it interesting all the same as the black of her eyes returns to normal and, once more, she is fully human. Attuned have always been fascinating in how the beasts seem to be just as alive and independent as their own master, waiting to be unleashed on the world around them.
Elide would never understand such feeling now, her own flesh numb and her heart allowing no room for dramatic, sweeping emotions.
A chair is pushed out for her, a welcome invitation to sit down and talk. Her hands unfold to relieve herself of her jacket, draping it over the back of the chair. She settles in quietly, hearing the implication in Aisha's words even if the woman doesn't mean to prod at the issue of LongNight. She'll find Elide is not touchy to the subject, merely thinking over how she wants to put things.
[say]"Yes, well, I had to recover from the... fight, if it can be called that,"[/say] she murmurs, [say]"things did not go as I expected them to. I would say they went better, there is reason to believe we've won the fight, but there was a.. giant bird that appeared, not one of the monsters. It set fire to the Grounds, killed off a lot of the monsters. The group I was with managed to find shelter after the Barracks burned down, and we survived that way. Not all of us, though,"[/say] she is indifferent to the losses and she sounds like it, too; a casualty of a war they signed up for, or were doomed to be apart of, however one may want to put it. [say]"There will be a lot of rebuilding for them to do, perhaps in more ways than one. I have a feeling that bird will be back, as well."[/say]
Elide isn't too intent on continuing the discussion of that, however, and she looks up from where her gaze has rested on the table in front of her, [say]"Kiada told me she might try to restart the guild now that she has come back, although she was not certain of if she would be the one leading it anymore."[/say] Elide's gaze neutrally examines Aisha, not giving away any opinion but perhaps... prompting, [say]" I see she was right in that assumption after all. What are your plans?"[/say]
RE: saving all my sinning - Aisha - 04-04-2021
Elide took the offered seat, settling in with her pressive elegance that Aisha so admired. The story presented was welcomed with a quirk of her brow, the leopardess offering that predatory attention as the ascended spoke. Aisha listened, nodded, narrowed her gaze at the mention of those lost, looking for some remorse or sadness that might be in Elide's expression but finding her unattached. Interesting, warlike, that was something Aisha knew and had grown up with. In some strange way Elide was familiar, vampyric and mechanical, but reminiscent of those strategists she'd once admired for their tenacity and determination.
[say]"I'm glad you're alive, and recovering,"[/say] she commented with a smile, appreciating the offered recount and storing information about the spark bird for later. On to the guild matters, Aisha perked up again, settling back into her seat, confident in her air. [say]"The guild hall is going to be built in a week or so, we've gathered journals and artifacts, weapons, recruited members. We're about ready to begin working,"[/say] she started, reaching forwards for her pen, rolling it between her fingers as she considered.
[say]"The guild will be for anyone interested in the monsters and spirits of this world, in finding protections against them and ways to exterminate or coexist. We'll take on contracts for anyone who needs help with monsters, and work to learn as much as we can,"[/say] she summarized, [say]"there's quite a bit of interest from Halo in dragons, I think once everything's established that might be our first start."[/say] Elide, as Aisha remembered, had her own bone to pick, the blonde cocked her head as she brought it up, expectant and curious.
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-07-2021
Elide isn't compelled by Aisha's happiness for her, not even enough to offer a smile or a nod of her head. She simply soaks it in, acknowledges it with no real sign, and furthermore dismisses it. She needn't Aisha's approval for her stoic ways and unsurprised manner directed towards the losses. She could appreciate it, but she finds that energy too spent already.
The confidence Aisha has, however, is tangible in the way she perks up and beams about her unsophisticated plans. Unsophisticated in a way that isn't negative, of course. because sometimes simpler is better. Especially by way of starting a guild. The more broad their goals, the more attentions will be drawn toward it, the higher likelihood of success. The mention of extermination, of coexistence, contracts and dragons does little to coax Elide's attentions. They're already firmly planted, and she is more-or-less blase in her reactions to the stir of information.
However, she does wonder...
[say]"What resources do we have for this guild and all of its ambitions, then?"[/say] She asks pointedly, angling her chin to look more directly at Aisha. It sounds as if things are just barely upon their feet, and she is not in favor of blindly raging against the mightiest of creatures. Would she, still? Yes, but that's not the point. Elide has her own motivations. Others? Not so much. [say]"How do you intend to face up against creatures such as dragons?"[/say] This time, she does wonder if Aisha has given much forethought to such ventures - or if she is simply.. riding by the seat of her pants.
RE: saving all my sinning - Aisha - 04-09-2021
The other woman remained throughout all of Aisha's wiles, stoic. She doesn't take the lack of expressiveness as an insult or a threat, neither is she deterred from her own dynamic nature. She took the following question as a bit of a challenge, her inquisitive gaze narrowed and locked onto the other Shield, [say]"We've gathered journals and books about the monsters of Caido from libraries and sources in the grounds, Halo, and Torchline. Weaponry can be forged when we need, I know a particular general who's arm I could twist, forgers who would be happy to work with us. I've gathered basic hunting tools already, but if we're going after the big things we'll need more than bows and arrows."[/say]
[say]"We don't have everything, but it's a start is it not?"[/say] she returned, flipping the pen between her fingers, [say]"there will always be things we lack, but we can find ways to manage and adapt."[/say] Onto the dragons, Aisha leaned onto her knees. [say]"With a fuck of a lot more information than we have now,"[/say] she replied with a cynical amusement. They'd barely begun, the fruits of the guild were still just a seed of thought. [say]"I have no plans to waltz into a dragon cage and demand a fight, if that's what you're wondering."[/say]
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-09-2021
Elide listens intently, nodding occasionally as Aisha delves into what she's done to prepare for this. She thoroughly believes that it is always good to start with journals, books, retellings of those who have firsthand experiences. Knowledge is a strong weapon, when utilized correctly, and she believes that she could assist in those matters. If it is what Aisha would want.
At Aisha's prompting, is it not?, Elide's brows raise a fraction and she tilts her head in consideration. [say]"It is,"[/say] she agrees warmly, and nods when Aisha expresses how she knows there will always be things they lack. An unfortunate reality, but at least she is well-aware of it. It would seem that Aisha is versed in this role, and it makes Elide wonder if she has past experiences... if she recalls correctly, Aishia is an Outlander. Perhaps in her past, she was more than a swordswoman. She's certainly intelligent enough to be more, and whatever doubts Elide had are squared away by her ability to answer her questions with such confidence and ease.
Elide doesn't react very much to the comment on planning to waltz up to a dragon. There are those that would, and it would spell certain doom for her guild if Aisha were one of those. [say]"I am not here to determine if you are ready to lead such a guild, Aisha,"[/say] Elide states simply, [say]"that is your own, personal decision. An important decision. I only ask because I wonder if I would be willing to join you."[/say] And that is all she intends to explain about questioning Aisha's plans. At least they are in the right place, and at least she is humble enough to know what she can or cannot do. Elide's mind is not quite made up yet, though.
[say]"You seem experienced in this,"[/say] Elide adds, [say]"you're an Outlander, correct? Were you a leader, before?"[/say] She uses the term 'leader' loosely, of course, considering that other worlds often have stark differences in what sort of leaderships they run under - if any at all.
RE: saving all my sinning - Aisha - 04-11-2021
Despite the stolid expression, Elide did seem contented by Aisha's answer, and her approval was encouraging. Aisha needed all kinds of minds and ideas if she were to succeed, Elide's was a clever and tactical perspective that she would love to pick and prod. She would be valued among their ranks, and Aisha hoped that she could be persuaded. The leopardess gave a smile to the simple reply.
[say]"Hm,"[/say] Aisha replied with a nod, [say]"I believe I'm ready, but I have nothing to lead without a steady base. So I hope you do approve,"[/say] there was a hint of playfulness in her gaze at this. And it is true, a monster hunter's guild is nothing without members, good committed members. A leader is just an individual with grand ideas if not for those who would seek to help them carry it through. Aisha wanted to create a guild that was just as much ever member's space as it was her own, she would just be the voice that gathered them.
The personal inquiry was a bit surprising, her brows raised just a bit. In the past she'd been relatively quiet about her old life and it's responsibilities. She'd happily told others about the land, the people, but not her duties as a young monarch. That counted as leadership perhaps, she'd been born and bred for the life, but she'd never risen to the complete title, Caido had stopped from actualizing it.
[say]"In a way, I was trained to be a general, someone like Deimos in my homeworld. I never got to be, but I was raised for it."[/say] The pen was placed back on the table, flat under her palm, [say]"you're taught how to rally, how to strategize, how to win, but you're made to view the people you lead as a whole, not as individuals. I never want to view my fellow soldiers as necessary casualties, that is something I won't bring from my lessons."[/say] Hence her caution, why she did not want to be seen as too headstrong. Reckless with her self perhaps, but not at the expense of friends.
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-15-2021
Aisha believes she is ready, and Elide nods in agreement. It would seem so. Only time will tell whether that is really true. People can speak with a silver tongue, can plot and plan and strategize, but it is still possible to fall short of the mark. It's human. Failure is always possible, it's what one does after that matters. Elide shifts back in her seat, feeling put on the spot when Aisha says she hopes that she approves. Her head tilts upward, but she has something else to ask, and she'll hold her thoughts for after she receives an answer.
Elide is able to sense the surprise Aisha feels from being asked about her past, even just from the raise of her brows. She wonders if this is a sensitive subject, if the wound is still... fresh, for Aisha. She's read and heard accounts from many Outlanders, or those that knew them, and she can only try to understand what it must be like. She has always lived in Halo, in the same house, hunting the same animals. It is... a mold, of sorts, and breaking from it is painful - but, undoubtedly, necessary. In the same way that a snake must shed its old skin because it has outgrown it, or that caterpillars must endure metamorphosis in order to grow.
Her head tilts to the other side as she regards Aisha's experiences, the things she was taught. It rings familiar in her own ears, these sentiments. Except, of course, that of casualties, which catches her by surprise. Her brows flinch upward and she offers an understanding half-smile. [say]"A guild is not an army,"[/say] Elide points out, because of course it isn't, [say]"it will be much smaller scale, more specialized in dealing with certain issues over others. The hunters you recruit will and do matter, each in their own right. Every sword, arrow, shield..."[/say] she pauses meaningfully, to let the words sink in, [say]"just one strike or blocked hit can mean the difference between success or failure. It will be much different, than being a general, but I have no doubt that those experiences will lend themselves in your favor,"[/say] Elide leans forward, sinking her elbow into the arm of the chair, [say]"and I do... approve, but why would that matter? If this is something you want to do, that you believe needs doing, then that is all the approval you need."[/say] At this, she shrugs slightly and leans back, lifting her hand to rest her chin on her knuckles.
RE: saving all my sinning - Aisha - 04-16-2021
A guild is not an army, that much is true, and Aisha knows it but there will always be aspects of her upbringing and training that bleed into her other thoughts. Valuable things that will help her grow, and other mindsets that she will have to set aside. They will not be a band at war with another, but companions, hunters, those curious ones who want to make a difference. But the danger will be the same, physical turmoil will carry across, soldier to hunter. And that is where Aisha falters, fears. She does not want to be responsible for the failure and downfall of her companions, that is something she could not endure.
Elide's verbal approval was satisfying, even as she questions and presses further. Aisha eyed her, hazel gaze sweeping over her fellow Shield's solid form. [say]"It matters because I value your insight,"[/say] she answered, a smirk toying with the corners of her lips. The leopardess cocked her head, [say]"you're a skilled fighter, a strategist, and you don't just trust for the sake of it. I need different perspectives if I'm going to improve."[/say]
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-18-2021
Elide visibly perks up a little at Aisha's honesty, brows lifting and her eyes widening just a fraction more. She wasn't expecting it, but maybe she should've. It's not uncommon for the people of Halo to ask her for her research, for her mind. That is very easy for her to offer, of course, as it's her job. However... being asked to raise up her arms in the ambitions of a monster hunter's guild. That doesn't happen very often, now, does it?
It's now that a grin widens, parting her lips. [say]"Thank you,"[/say] she begins, letting her grin ease into a lesser smile, [say]"but I am no monster hunter yet."[/say] She arches one of her brows, briefly.
She eyes Aisha more carefully now, smile fading. [say]"People are bound to make mistakes... it's our nature. Even if we deem ourselves fighters or strategists, we can still fail at what we do best. There will always be more for us to learn, better versions of ourselves to strive toward,"[/say] she lowers her hand from her chin and straightens her back, [say]"but I would be honored to be apart of this, to improve alongside you and make your challenges mine."[/say]
RE: saving all my sinning - Aisha - 04-19-2021
The change in Elide's disposition was barely visible, but Aisha noticed. So the other woman did enjoy compliments, or at least the sincerity behind her's. The attuned lets a smile meet her eyes at Elide's grin, but her own lips do not part. Rather they remained thoughtfully pursed, watching, waiting for the response.
She nodded as the other woman spoke, of improvement, of moving forwards rather than falling back. And when Elide was finished her smile did break through, [say]"I'm sure I'll be better for it, to have your help. And I hope that I can provide that same stimulation for you,"[/say] she agreed, relaxing into the warmth of the room that she shared with their newest recruit.
RE: saving all my sinning - Elide - 04-27-2021
Elide nods, feeling her own sense of warmth apart from the fire that lights the room. [say]"Of course,"[/say] she says, of Aisha doing the same for her, [say]"I have no doubts that, together, we can overcome much."[/say] Their spar had been enough of an indicator for that, to Elide. Aisha and Deimos were growing to be very important people to her, the reclusive Halovian who suddenly found herself a Shield and - now - a Monster Hunter.
She chuckles a little at this thought. [say]"I am actually quite excited for us to begin,"[/say] she admits, [say]"As for hunting, I have several books on the subject as well as the wildlife of most of Caido. If the library is lacking in anything you need, I'm sure that I can provide you the information."[/say]
Her hands clasp together and she tilts her head with interest. [say]"Is there anything you have in mind for a... first hunt?"[/say]