Beggars Can't be Choosers [Helle/Giselle)

Giselle was humming to herself as she made her way to the Director's office. It definitely wasn't a trip that she had expected that she would be making so soon. Buuuuuuuut well it was probably a good idea to get this out of the way sooner than later anyway. From the thing that was bothering her, to just outright introducing herself and clearing the air. YEPYEPYEP! That was the way to do it! Clear the air, that way there was no .....surprises.

She knew exactly how jarring surprises could be. Cyrus certainly had seemed....unpleasantly surprised when he had discovered that THE Giselle Gewelle was A, still alive and B, intent on joining the vandenreich. Nor was he likely pleased with the fact that the Vandenreich could not really afford to turn down such an offer. Not with the, apparently, drastic drop in numbers it had recently suffered. A subject she intended to .....avoid bringing up right off the bat. Considering the Sternritter were probablythe hardest hit. All the same, she gently knocked on that big door, and once she was told she would slip inside.

And she was....curious. What WAS the Director like? All she knew was that her name was Helle and that she was a woman. So basically nothing. THAT would be secret objective number 2: Get a read on this new Director of hers!

Giselle was almost immediately a little surprised when she noticed the sheer amount of paperwork that was piled up on the woman's desk. She paused, looking over the woman's workload and furrowing her brows. What the heck happened here? She had known, naturally, or rather HEARD about the Jefferson incident. So she had of course expected things to be a little backed up. But even so, the woman was so busy that she couldn't even seem to spare Giselle more than a passing glance. Oh dear.

Giselle let her head cant to the side before lightly resting her hands behind her back before speaking up. "Ah, I didn't expect you to be so busy this late in the afternoon. I was hoping to have a little chitchat. But it's nothing immediately pressing so if you'd prefer I can speak with the secretary to schedule an appointment when you aren't soooooooo, like....distracted." She noted her voice having it's usual sortof singsongy quality, but a little more toned down than usual. This was, after all, her highest Direct CO after all.

Did she have things she wanted to discuss? Absolutely, but they weren't something she wanted to A, speak to the woman WHILE they were busy, and B, was something she hoped to have be more of a ....back and forth. Rather than what she assumed, based on the woman's curt responses, be just sharp and clippy responses from the woman herself. Then again.... as far as she knew that might just be how Helle was....but well, if nothing else she'd find that out.

ALL the same, she made it abundantly clear that if Helle was too distracted she would just come back another time. Standing patiently and at parade rest as she waited for the woman's response.

Giselle raised a brow as she watched the woman collect herself. A pause, her own spiritual sense twinging a little when she felt the air around them adjust in response to the woman's little sigh. Now THAT was some interesting levels of reishi manipulation. Giselle was momentarily impressed by the little byproduct. But she supposed it would only make sense. But even more impressive was the professionalism she noticed coming from Helle. Of course she knew that the woman had probably read a lot about her. However she sensed a shimmer of sincerity in the woman's voice that was MUCH less common for such individuals. She was actually a bit impressed, not just at Helle, but that Cyrus had put such individuals in charge.

"Thank you very much for making time. Its nothing super urgent, BUT I know that since I got back on the ol sternritter horse you PROOoobably saw my files from the old organization. " She noted. An incomplete assessment of her powers, and of course the most pressing issue: Was that Giselle had a particular penchant for zombifying her subordinates. No doubt it was the primary reason for the metaphorical leash that Cyrus had on her.

"BUT! I will tell you what I told Cyrus: That stuff's like....several hundred years old. I also know youuuuu probably are like totally sus of me being in your unit." She hummed, that singsongy voice of hers ringing as it always did. However, she straightened herself up, giving Helle a flat look. "I know about the recent stuff that's happened. I went through something similar myself.I'm sure you're familiar with Radioactive." Nobody calling themselves a quincy WOULDN'T be aware of the psychopath living WMD that had gone around on one of the biggest Quincy exterminations in memory. "So I juuuuuuust wanted you to know that I don't plan on like...causing trouble. Sooooooooooo, I wanted to see if you had any questions! Questions....Concerns....threatening tigermom ultimatums..... Stuff like that. If I'm going to be working under you we should clear the air, right?" She reasoned.

There was a lot of ways she could have gone about this, but well..... she had a feeling that no matter what it was going to be awkward. So she had decided to just be frank and direct. Not that she was holding her breath on Helle actually BELIEVING her assurances. She was, after all, a leader. IT was only natural for her to be wary of a walking hazard like Giselle. But that was fine. Her words were just a foundation, she could shore that stuff up with her actions as time went on. Right?

Giselle had to admit that she was a little surprised to see such a benevolent response from the woman. Or at least one that was so restrained. From the composure to the lie of an assurance it was actually quite sweet! She could see why this woman was trusted. But then again she supposed that was just a change of times. In the past her superiors never withheld their true feelings, usually contempt.

She had known about the new mixed ranks but truth be told it was hardly a huge surprise especially having found out how many members they HAD. Selectiveness was probably not a luxury quincy could afford these days. ”Was it ever?” She could feel a strange urge to smile.

”Oh! Well that’s good! Definitely makes working together a lot easier. Even if it was a lie, it did mean she wouldn’t have the woman up her ass all the time.

”I guess that means you have no questions either, fair enough. But if you don’t mind me asking a question of my own: What is it that drew you to the Vandenreich?”

Ah, well this was to be expected.
Ah, well this was to be expected.

The woman's smile remained unerring as that cryptic-to-some line came out and promptly marked the change for the tone of the conversation. Which, of course, she had been intending to do so, though color her surprised with the direction it changed in. Or rather, that it had changed to this particular tone sooner than she'd imagined would occur. Kudos to Helle.
Bright are the innocent eyes of those stitched shut from foresight. So easy to look over your shoulder at the fall of those blinded to the future. And those knowing its inevitability.
Giselle's eyes darted for a brief moment in response to the coil and writhe of the reishi aura that had begun to seethe in response to Helle's display of power alongside that crocodile's grin that affirmed what she had already derived from their previous niceties. As energy wrapped around her and brushed her, pushed her, gripped her in what she imagined was a manifestation of Helle's own desires to have her fingers around her neck.

And then she gained some insight.
So this is a child upturned in my wake. I suppose I can't take full credit though.
So she spoke of the destruction of her home. Her Family. Of the consequences of the past and all that had come with it. It was.....however....a surprise when she heard that final addition to her speech. That she intended to never let such a thing come to pass again. Now THAT was something that caused Giselle's brows to raise.
Relax. She is blind in her anger.
She relaxed, closing her eyes as she took a moment to consider, burying the sudden boiling bile that had rose up in her throat as this Fucking human took the opportunity to make that connection. Oh? Was THAT what she was? Was SHE the type of person to be the harbinger of destruction? Did Helle think that SHE was at the helm when that went down?

But that anger did not make it any further than the pits of her stomach it rose up from. Her expression. Her reiatsu. Her breathing calmed, soothed, as if a hand on her shoulder kept her in check. A hand called experience. How many times had she swallowed those thoughts? How many times had she felt this choking flourish of spiritual energy around her? It wasn't the same words, the looks, the choice in phrasing. It wasn't REALLY something she had experienced exactly before.
A child is not at fault for a curse it repeats.
But it certainly Rhymed.
A stone is not at fault for the sway and weight of gravity. No matter who it falls on.
"I understand completely. 'A world in which all may walk beside one another'. It has a nice sound to it. I was never really all that great coming up with stuff like that. So instead I'll borrow something someone told me a long time ago.-
Let us go forth, for the sake of Peace."
Let us go forth, for the sake of Peace.
She stood up, offering a bright smile to the woman. "Iiiin that case I won't be wasting your time any longer, Ma'am. I will be the first to admit I was wild in the past, I can admit that. Having a clear and honest goal such as ours is a nice change of pace. I look forward to when you won't have to look at me with such disdain and incredulity. Am I dismissed?" She asked calmly enough, and once that permission was given, she would turn on her heel and promptly leave Helle to her work. She certainly hope the woman got a chance to rest that troubled mind and heart of hers. It was always sad to see a young heart full of thorns.