[Garden of No Return] Getting to Know You (Nasilia)

[Yanessavhanet]

Season of Spring, Day 6, 511 AV

"Thisss way Nasssilia," Vhanet hissed softly as she lead the Syemenestra through the streets of Alvadas by her hand, "I have sssome work too be done, and it would be bessst to find sssomewhere private to do it."

Vhanet did not want to wait long before trying to make something usable from Nasilia's venom, but she didn't want to loose the Symenestra in the ever changing city. So she was going to use an idea inspired by Dinvidus. For almost two bells she lead Nasilia through the city streets until finally she found the entrance to the Garden of No Return.

"Here we are," she said with a smile to Nasilia, "Now make sssure to ssstay clossse to me Nasssilia. Otherwissse we might become ssseperated in the ever changing maze."

[Nasilia]

Nasilia would normally object and say that she didn't really have time for this, but Vhanet was the only friendly face that didn't seem so aggravating. Istril, the strange metal woman, was too overly logical to a point where it felt somewhat condescending. True everything the metal woman said was true, but she wasn't in the proper mindset to hear it. It would have been better if she were somewhat more pleasant about her reasoning rather than matter of fact. Maybe she would appreciate it later, but for right now, Istril gave her a bad taste in her mouth.

Upon reaching the Maze, she snapped back to reality, her daydreams disappearing from her mind. She wasn't surprised that an ever-changing city had an ever-changing maze. Nasilia looked to Vhanet and said, "Surely you have a shop in town that would be more appropriate, this seems like such an unstable place to do your work. Why are we here of all places?"

She found Vhanet's hand rather reassuring and warming. She couldn't help but smile a little as she looked at her, thinking how nice it was to have such a tender-hearted person helping her. At this point, she was simply glad she didn't break down and cry before her when they met.

[Yanessavhanet]

Vhanet gave a shake of her head at Nasilia's question as she moved deeper into the maze, turning whichever way struck her fancy at each intersection, "No I haven't been in Alvadasss long enough to think about a ssshop, and we will be leaving sssoon enough to hunt for your Mother," she gave her companion a smile over her shoulder and a soft squeeze of her hand.

After a little more time Vhanet found what she was looking for, a little open space with a fountain, and she gave a little nod. This one featured strangely trimmed hedges that almost seemed to move on their own, and several benches around the fountain's edge. Leading the way to the fountain she released Nasilia's hand, and then carefully slipped off her backpack and poisoncrafting kit next to one of the benches, "Asss for why here, I have found it a pleasssant place to be," a small grin touched her lips at the memory of her night with Dinvidus, "And it isss better than ssstaying in the ssstreetsss, no?"

Kneeling down to the ground she began opening her kit and placing the various items on the bench, including the two containers of venom Nasilia had provided her the day before, "Ssso, tell me more of yourssself Nasssilia. What are you ssskilled at? Maybe I can help you find a purpossse asss I work," she smiled at the other woman as she finished putting up the last pieces of equipment that she'd need for now.

[Nasilia]

Nasilia was silent as she explained her reasoning behind her lack of station. She found it odd that she was so readily trusting of her, and while the same could be said for herself, the thought of being used as a venom dispenser came up now that her initial emotions that were clouding her judgment had settled some. The old skeptical Nasilia was starting to creep back in, thankful that she had not (or at least to her knowledge) done anything to breach her trust. She decided to simply go along with things, thinking how disruptive it would be for her to simply leave Vhanet.

Upon Vhanet's questioning what skills she had, she thought briefly on what it was she could do. Nasilia pondered and replied, "Well...I am decent with a knife...I tend to move very quietly, and I've done some parkour. However I'm still quite a novice, and I'm not particularly talented at it in light of my fellows who can do the same things and use magic...and a lot of other more useful tasks."

She feel silent and looked to Vhanet, asking, "What was the name of your race again?"

[Yanessavhanet]

"Thossse are quite useful ssskillsss," Vhanet said with a smile to Nasilia, "And a bit sssurprisssing for sssomeone with sssuch a lithe body asss yoursss. You certainly sssound much more capable of taking care of yourssself than me," it was true enough, Vhanet supposed in a direct fight between the two of them Nasilia would certainly have the advantage.

Pouring out half of one of the glass vials into a smaller container Vhanet looked over the liquid with a critical eye. She knew from Dinvidus that Symenestra venom was actually made of two parts, and it was the first part she was hoping to turn into a usable form today. While the burning had certainly been delightful, the thought of having a victim completely unable to move sent a shiver up her spine.

Before Vhanet could get to work Nasilia asked a question that caused her to pause. She didn't think she had given the Symenestra the name of her kind, but in Ahnatep her way of speeking would have told even the lowest Dusk Eater what she was. It did seem her kind was much less known out here, and the thought made Vhanet smile, "My kind are called Dhani, and I, ssspecifically, am of the Vipersss."

She watched Nasilia carefully, still smiling pleasant, to see what her reaction would be. The woman had shown to be naive so far, but Vhanet wanted to be ready in case the mention of her race set off a violent or fearful reaction.

[Nasilia]

Nasilia didn't know what the subgroup implied, but it was duly noted. She felt a lot more comfortable now that her emotions were under control. The lanky pale woman watched as Vhanet set her things up, tilting her head with a hint of curiosity. She began to process the idea of coming to a secluded place with a poison maker, and it became clear that this was quite...sketchy. Perhaps it was simply paranoia, but she didn't know Vhanet that long to walk into something like this blindly...unless of course her best judgment had fallen short of satisfactory.

She wanted to learn her friend's true intentions now, thinking there was something she wasn't telling her. Nasilia smiled softly and says, "You're quite a saint...you're willing to travel with someone you just met to find her mother. I must say, if this is how the Dhani are, then I already love such a benign and caring race. It reminds me of my people really; we look like we're cruel, but we are actually quite morally conscious even if it is questionable to say humans."

The spider woman walked to Vhanet's side and knelt by her side, smiling warmly to her and asks, "How can I help? It's the least I could do in light of your selflessness."

[Yanessavhanet]

It seemed Nasilia might not be as naive as Vhanet thought, as the Symenestra smiled and called Vhanet a saint. There was something about those words that felt a little... off to Vhanet. The hints of distrust possibly. As amusing as it might have been to leave Nasilia with the impression of Dhani being saints, a thought that made Vhanet want to roll in the grass laughing, it would be more beneficial for Vhanet to have her trust.

"Asss I sssaid before, I am no angel or sssaint, and that isss very true of the Dhani asss well," Vhanet replied to Nasilia's soft smile with one of her own, "The Dhani are feared by many, and rightly ssso. There are Dhani who think of others asss little more than prey and food, and would rather kill any other race than talk to them," she turned away from Nasilia, as if in embarrassment, "And while we do value the connection we have to our Mothersss, I mussst confesss I had another motive in being ssso kind to you. I am a long way from the sssandsss of my home, and have ssstarted to grow lonely. I hoped, by helping you, we could become friendsss..."

As Nasilia came and knelt next to Vhanet she turned and returned her smile, "You do not need to help, but if you wisssh it would be appreciated. Do you know much of poisssoncrafting?"

[Nasilia]

Nasilia was touched by Vhanet's kind words though she had a little skepticism in the back of her head. The whole thing was just outside of normal judgment, but she still gave her the benefit of the doubt, thinking that perhaps there were cultural differences in place. Perhaps the Dhani had a different way of interpreting other people, and she somehow gave her some social cue that would lead her to believe that she could be more informal. The spider woman smiled softly and hugged her though, whispering, "That's very sweet of you Vhanet, thank you."

At the mention of poisoncrafting, she shook her head, saying, "Don't know anything about it...besides, it doesn't seem something I would need to know. The venom I have is potent enough to do what I need to do, and I don't leave the home much anyways being a stay-at-home kind of gal." She bit her bottom lip and looked at the tools she was pulling out curiously, saying, "I'm not sure what else you really need to do with my venom that you require so many tools."

She looked briefly of the hedge maze around her, watching how they shifted every so often. It was kind of dizzying really.

[Yanessavhanet]

Vhanet firmly returned Nasilia's hug, smiling and whispering back, "Thank you Nasssilia, for your willingnessss to let me in."

Vhanet listened quietly to Nasilia's response, nodding slightly, "Yesss, having your own venom doesss make it easssier for you, but it isss a ssshame for you to hide the beauty you possssessss in the dark cave your people live in," she let her gaze focus on Nasilia's face for a moment, but then quickly turned her attention back to her various tools, "Ah... Asss for what I am doing with my toolsss, I am going to try to concentrate your venom for use on a needle or blade. My own fangsss are much more difficult to ussse than yoursss, ssso I rely on the poisssonsss I make for protection."

With that she went to work, using the various containers and tubes to first try and draw out the digestive part of the venom, just leaving the paralytic portion. She kept her apparent focus on her work, but watched Nasilia out of the corner of her eye to see her reaction to Vhanet's words and actions. Perhaps it would make the woman uncomfortable, or flattered, but either way the game continued, and Vhanet found it delightful.

[Nasilia]

Not really sure what else she could do, she simply watched as Vhanet worked. The tools she used were foreign to her, and she wasn't exactly sure what it was Vhanet was doing until she explained things to her. Still the process looked incredibly foreign, and it looked to her like someone was cooking an odd recipe rather than working with poison.

As time went on, she settled with watching the hedge shift and turn every so often, passing the time idly. She didn't mind there being some silence, she usually enjoyed that. The only thing that made her somewhat nervous was being in a different city and with people unlike herself.