Mul-tual Assurance

Log Info

• Title: Mul-tual Assurance
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Aya
• Place: Temple of Eluna
• Time: September 2nd, 2021
• Summary:

Temple of Eluna, Midday. 

It's a dark day outside, a blanket of grey clouds growing shadows within itself, a chilling breeze washing through the streets of Alexandria. It's going to rain. It's going to be a deluge, those with weary joints can feel the ache coming already.

Though, before the sky could open up, a scarred mul'neissa slipped into the moon's place of worship. A now common thing, every other day she'd come over to make sure Aya was doing well. She delves deeper into the building and came to a familiar door with a journal in hand. She inhales, and gives a gentle knock, followed by a soft two note whistle. Letting her mentor know who was at the door.

"Come in," is bidden without much delay. It's likely that Aya was already awake. When the room is entered, she is, in fact, sitting upright in bed, pillow at her back.

The door opens and closes smoothly, the now familiar figure of Aryia slipping inside. Anticipating rain, she wasn't in anything grandiose, even the cloak she bore was simple. Within the dark room, two glimmering milk eyes settle on Aya, the pugilist raising a hand in greeting and stepping forward.

"Hey. You're sitting up, that's better. How are you feeling?" she asks with her spare hand, look the other over. <Handspeech>

Aya considers that relatively simple question for a moment. "I feel stronger, though I have concerns of long-term issues." A brow lifts to Aryia. "How are you this day?"

The mute woman finds herself a seat, her scooting it closer and settling in. She gives a soft smile, a thumb rubbing against her journal. Movement. "I hope the long-term issues won't be too bad. But you can learn to live with it." She leaves unspoken, 'I know I have.'.

She looks down to the tome, her shoulders relaxing before holding it out towards Aya to take. "I'm good. I... actually feel happy one once. Here is the notes I promised. Sorry if I spelled things wrong." <Handspeech>

Aya nods at the first statement. "I must accept whatever is, or work to change it however I may. That is always the choice." She accepts the offered book, strong enough, at least, to do so. It is set beside her for now. Her other brow arches.

"You don't need to apologize. Happy? How so? You deserve as much contentment as anyone else, perhaps more."

The journal looks new, as if it was made to take note for specifically that event.

The mute woman didn't think that would be asked about, her shimmery eyes glancing away to a corner of the room. "Just a number of things. Taking a break from working the docks, not having some enemies make a move yet, you helping me with writing, helping and spending time with some friends."

In the colorless dark, her scarred, grey face shifts towards a more ebon hue. <Handspeech>

"Aryia," Aya begins, somewhat firm, in attempt to bring the other's eyes back to her own. Eyes that are focused upon her. "You should strive for yourself, for your desires, whatever they may be, and you should not feel abashed to do so, much less for having them."

Aryia looks back to Aya, a corner of her lip pulling down. "I am doing this for myself. If I did none of that, I would float in the bath house all day and be drunk.." Her gestures were, surprisingly, firm on the matter. "I am being helpful, and I'm not useless. And I've been working on my writing in the meantime." <Handspeech>

Aya's lips dip downward in one corner, very much like Aryia's expression, as she realizes she misinterpereted or misspoke. She promptly inverts it, however, to a half-smile and attempts matching casual gestures. "Neither the baths nor drink are terrible choices, and both seem rather tempting at the moment." After a pause, she must admit, "In moderation, so perhaps not -every- day." <handspeech>

Aryia sighs, eyes half lidding to stem the only faint light source in the room. Her lips smooth out, head canting to the side. "Then my time would be filled doing what I said on every other day. I don't want to get too comfortable with just only my thoughts to entertain me."

Though, her smile comes back some before gesturing towards the book. "Some of the mages showed up to that. I swear, I want to deck some in the face. Even wrote down some dumb shit they said too." <Handspeech>

Aya's own smile grows and also grows more wry. "I have met few who understand what they are doing and even fewer who can see past their own nose. Most..." she considers a few descriptors before deciding upon, "...deserved to be punched. Merek more than most."

The pugilist's brows shoot up as she gasps, her throwing both hands up as she both signs and mouths "I KNOW RIGHT?!" <Handspeech>

Aya nods firmly, deeply. "I have on multiple occassions. After enough, one would imagine he would change somehow, but..." she rolls one shoulder, "he is readily worth ignoring, otherwise." Thus she segues to other things, opening up the journal to glance at it rather casually, "I presume that others may have spoken with intelligence and relevance?"

"He was pissing quite a number of people off, But yes. Really should just ignore him." She calms down, sitting back down in her chair with a light smile on her face. Glad that the two shared similar sentiments.

The journal's notes are rather basic. A list of topics being talked about, how the Ressurectionists were totally not bad, some people saying dumb things. There was, however, a spot of blackish blue ink that stood out against the black ink. In the margins, a simple yet flawless penmanship was:

)

The page is dog-eared.

Aya is paying as much, if not more attention to Aryia than the book, in truth. The journal is mostly skimmed, though the dog-eared page and scribble in the margin do draw her eye. Uncertain of context, if any (it would make perfect sense if it were next to a note of someone punching Merek, for example), she looks to Aryia. A brow lifts and the journal is turned towards as a finger taps the page. "A lull in events or something else?" She can readily imagine herself (and thus by reasonable extenstion Aryia) getting bored at such a juncture.

She raises a brow, leaning forward to see what Aya was speaking of. She blinks, then a range of emotions play across her visage. Amusement, her lips twisting upwards unknowingly. Embarrassment, face growing a redder. And her usual waffling about, Aryia rubbing her neck and looking away. "I... forgot about that. A bit of both. My friend and I were writing in each others notes." <Handspeech>

Aya does know of at least one acquaintance of Aryia's that seems most appropriate for notes. "Venom?" she inquires, somewhat rhetorically. Without awaiting confirmation, she opines, "While I do not doubt your judgement, one that conceals themselves so implies that they have some reason to hide."

Aryia dips her head in a nod, the mute mul'neissa playing with a stray thread on her pants with one hand. "They have good reasons," she motions, pausing a moment to add, "Though nothing hidden away is of any worry."

The mute woman fidgets on her chair and picks at her fingers, glancing between Aya and a new corner of the room. Swallowing, her rent throat bobbing, she sighs, and lets her head lull back to the ceiling. She blindly signs, each gesture held a hesitant pause between the next. "Aya. I... need your... advice." <Handspeech>

Aya's lips purse some at Aryia's continued averting and roaming eyes. Partly for that reason, she doesn't attempt to sign in return. "I did not imply that they did, only that it something to consider," she first clarifies before addressing the other statement. "You are always welcome to my advice. What is the ...concern?"

Another sigh, Aryia rubs at her face with both hands before lightly slapping her cheeks. "Okay."

She stares at the opposite wall. Still. For a solid minute. Not even a breath.

...

A finger pokes her sternum. Fingers tap the side of her head. Hesitantly, her thumb and middle finger pull from her chest. And she points off to the side where a presence was established.

"I think... I like her."

For a moment, all the scars her face held seemed like they weren't there, gone to show a young mul'neissa underneath with uncertain expression.

She blows out a long gout of air, deflates into a slump, and buries her face into her hands. A gesture, "... what do I dooooooooooooooooooooo.......!" The 'o' is dragged through the air until it clonks against the wall. <Handspeech>

Aya blinks at this. It is fair to assume this is not the situation, nor perhaps even the scope of situation, that she expected. Her lips then purse in thought. "I see..." She conveys her understanding, or presumptive understanding of the question and then is quiet again for several moments. This may or may not ease Aryia's worries.

"Does she know this? If not, the first thing you should do is tell her."

Aryia peeks a glimmering eye through her fingers as she watches Aya, looking for some mote of guidance. The fidgeting increased as the moments went on.

She huffs, pressing her face further into her hands. She makes a sort of breathy exhale, one could guess it was a whine. "No, I haven't. I just... what if she takes it the wrong way?" one hand motions. <Handspeech>

Aya purses her lips and then shifts her legs off the edge of the bed. She then slowly stands and steps, also slowly, towards her "Aryia, look at me. As I said before, do not be ashamed nor worried over what you would desire. If you truly desire something, seek to attain it."

With reluctance, Aryia pulls her face out of her hands, her fully flushed face morphing into surprise. She reaches a hand forward out habit. "Sh-ldn't b-..." she whispers, concern going across her features before finally complying to look up at Aya.

Her lips waver. "But I... what if... I don't want to hurt her. She's already gone through a lot. Kind... kind of like me." <Handspeech>

Aya stops before her and crouches to be more eye level. Yes, she uses Aryia's chair or possibly her knee for leverage and support. "Not unlike us, either, and I believe we are bonded by our experiences. I expect the same for her." She pauses and exhales a slight sigh. If there were a moment where she might glance away, it appears to pass, though she does not. "You are more familiar with her than I, and could better predict her actions. Neither am I ...especially skilled in this regard, unless you seek only passing nights of entertainment..."

She pauses once more to consider. "If you trust her, simply speak the truth, and plainly. If she trusts you, she should answer in the same. Even if you do not receive the answer you would prefer, you will have an answer. Regardless, you will have the knowledge you require to move forward."

Aryia gives a little nod, hands folded in her lap with her glancing between Aya's gaze and her own hands. Her face grows pensive, perhaps Aya may have not been the best to ask of this. But it was essentially the only one she trusted with the matter. She ends up grabbing a hold of a hand while she pulls her knees to her chest, chin resting atop them. There was a slight hint of a smirk cracking through as she gestures, "Unfortunate your nights of seeking are on hold." Looks she got some witty humor from someone.

Aryia giggles silently before sighing heavily once more. "I... I can try. I don't know if this is anything serious or just... yes." <Handspeech>

"You would not know until you ask, yes?" Aya quirks a brow with the query, "Or attempt?" The bit of humor sparks a half-smile that twists further to a smirk. "I never sought more than the occassional diversion, with those I felt were unlikely to slay me during. There will be nights for that aplenty in the future."

Again, Aryia nods slowly, her fluster calming as some color does return to her visage. "You're... right. Yes. I'll try. I hope I don't fuck it up."

An exhale, shimmery eyes looking off to the now unmade bed. She chuffs. "You and I both, the mute woman comments before running a hand down over her face. <Handspeech>

Aya gives Aryia's hand a squeeze before she rises, using her other hand on her other knee to assist herself. All told, she does seem orders of magnitude better than when Aryia last saw her. Perhaps she truly rested or slept the entire time and actually managed to mend. "Now you have a different goal, and a new opportunity, which I do not." She may have practiced her signs in there somewhere, too? <handspeech>

Aryia too gets to her feet, keeping hold of the hand to help Aya back to the bed. She smiles some, glad to see Aya was on the mend. "You're getting better," she notes, before her smile turns a bit somber. "I do, despite how short of a goal it may end up being. I may have lived amongst them for some time, but humans are always... they burn bright, but not long."

She gives a bit of a weak smile. "Maybe someday. Who knows, I know not of your centuries, but much happens in even a year, where we have far more than we can even count." <Handspeech>

Aya nods with that, her own expression turning somewhat wistful. She may have some minor experience in that realm. "They do, but you recognize that. If all goes as you wish, there is still that consequence." Her lips purse. "Every choice has both benefit and cost to be weighed. It is simply a matter of what is valued most."

Aryia gives a small sigh, and hangs her head while pivoting around to sit at the foot of the bed. "I know. And... to be honest. I probably need to learn how to deal with that," she motions with a free hand, only letting go once Aya had situated herself. "I can count the years I've been free on one hand. Yet I have twenty times more of strife. Unlike some others, I never really got to spend that time learning who I am."

She bows her head and leans forward some, gesturing in front of herself. Speaking to herself, yet roping Aya in. "I'm going to make a lot of mistakes. It's why I do so many different things. Like that tailor. Or the baths. Or... even... even this." <Handspeech>

Aya retakes a seat of her own on the edge of the bed. "As I said, how can you know if you do not ask? How can you find if you don't seek?" A light shrug of one shoulder, though it is accent and not to diminish the worth of Aryia's statements. "In that, I expect that we are quite different. You still discover, and I know who I am."

Her smirk reforms at this. "I envy you in that... though I have made some new discoveries as of late, with your aid."

Aryia nods, her smiling more while she wrings her hands together. "...That's what Venom said. We're learning who we are."

Though, she blinks, shimmery eyes settling on Aya as she tilts her head to the side. Aryia? Being envied? That was new. "You... have? I mean, there are the baths... but what else?" <Handspeech>

Aya's smirk deepens as she releases Aryia's hand only now, to sign. She repeats several recently used quite exactly and even in the same order "That tailor. The baths. Even this."

"This?" she tilts her head to the side, finger pointed down between them. A few seconds to parse. "You mean the little things? Or just... talking with me? I... learned a lot from you. I'm surprised you learned something from me. aside from, well, sign." <Handspeech>

Aya makes short phrases, again, though these are not copied. A gesture to Aryia. To herself. A circular encompassing motion, and more. "You. Me. Us. Speaking. Signing. Sharing. This is new to me."

She gives a warm smile, understanding crossing her face. "It is new to me too. If... You ever want to talk about something, I don't mind whatever it is. I'm... really happy you went through the effort to learn. Because now I can ask decades worth of questions. And maybe, just maybe, give you some answers to things you didn't know need answering." <Handspeech>

Aya can't help but echo the smile, at least to great degree. That expression, itself, may be yet another recent discovery. "I will share what I know. If they are not the answers you seek, they may guide you towards those that are. Perhaps I will discover more of my own, as well."

Whether inspired by the situation or strengthened by her significant leap in recovery, or simply energized by Aryia's own exuberance, she notes, "There is still yet training that is far overdue. Perhaps tomorrow, after further rest, we can resume?"

"I look forward to the conversations we will have. And... I cherish the ones that have passed," she all but beams.

The suggestion makes Aryia blink, before she gives a heavy nod of approval. Though, with a stipulation, "You'll just watch, okay? We don't want a repeat of last time."

She looks down to her lap, positively radiant with everything that has happened thus far. She looks back to her mentor and raises a hand. "And... Aya." <Handspeech>

She scoots closer, and wraps the recovering mul'neissa in a warm hug. With it so quiet in the room, the sensitive ears of her mentor could pick up the faintest, full range of the mute woman.

"Thank you. For everything."

Aya once more mirrors Aryia's expression, one's beaming translating into an actual full smile for the other. "As do I..." she manages to note, and even rolls one shoulder at the stipulation. Whether that is agreement, or if Aya will hold to that, may remain to be seen.

A brow then arches at the delayed, hanging comment, uncertain of what is to come after. The embrace is unexpected, and Aya is stymied for a moment. Another one of those strange new discoveries? After that moment, however, she once more follows her mentor's lead and returns the embrace. The sub-whispered comment in the silence is ... booming, in a sense. Though not throughout the room, it does, indeed, reverberate somewhere. A faint whisper is returned.

"You are most welcome."