You Can't Go Back Again [Reida, Arcadia]

Reida may have had another major assignment coming up soon, but she had time to get ready for it. In the meantime, there was something else she'd been working on for a pretty long time now, one of the longest-term Todgestalten projects she'd had. Figuring out what the hell was going on with that blonde the Grandmaster was always hangin' around with.

Sure, it'd always been suspicious enough, but she'd quickly started piecing things together a little more. She knew about the Grandmaster and the Sternritter Director's relationship, but then all of a sudden, it seemed like he'd just moved right on to this other woman at the same time Helle had suddenly fallen ill. If Reida had been a few years younger, she might've quit just based on that alone. But she knew perfectly well that probably wasn't fair anymore. She wasn't squeaky clean there, either.

Honestly, she'd been on her way to just go to the Grandmaster's home and speak with Arcadia there, but maybe God was on her side or something, as she saw her right in the street. Perfect.

"Ah, 'scuse me, y'er Arcadia, right? Hope ya don't mind a chat. Name's Reida Ray Copeland, I'm with the Todgestalten."

It was easier to opt to dress in a more discreet attire, rather than the more provacative and well golden set that she donned frequently. The simple black dress that stopped midway down her thigh and did its simple job of avoiding trouble within the city. How she dressed in the privacy of her own abode? Her own business.

Still it wasn't often that people approached her for anything, probably the unknown variable that she was. The same reason that she could imagine that this woman had gotten closer to her, intent to chat and stated her sector in particular which Arcadia was not that ignorant about the Vandenreich to be dimwitted about what the Todgestalten did.

"Yes. I'm quite free at the moment, what beckons you my way?"

The danava's body was relaxed and her expression was pleasant enough for someone that had a faint idea of just what this woman wanted to discuss. The question that lingered on Arcadia's mind was how exactly she wanted to discuss it.

Being roundabout about this whole exchange didn't really seem productive to Reida, all things considered. She could have, certainly, but why bother when she was dealing with the Grandmaster's girl? That was just asking for drama, and Reida wasn't looking for that. Answers, sure, but not drama.

"I try'n keep track of how things're goin' in the City of Lights. Anything suspicious, people who might be causin' danger. Part'a my job. I know the Grandmaster trusts ya, but I'd be lyin' if I said I've got much on ya in my records other'n that."

There was a bit of a pause, there, and admittedly, Reida felt like she had more to say. It was pretty obvious, too, just from her expression, her single eye shifting between Arcadia and the sea off to the side.

"Probably a few other things I wouldn't mind chattin' about, too. I trust the Grandmaster, so I'd like ta get to know ya."

"Is that so?"

Arcadia didn't particularly enjoy the pretense of interrogation that she was being presented with, she was fully aware that she could likely decide to continue on her way and Reida would probably have to refrain from acting against her but that would only breed distrust among Cyrus' followers and herself. She did not want to cause him grief like that nor did she want to hurt his relationship with them like a wedge.

"While I don't find the forwardness of your approach into questioning very pleasant. A person with such robust enterprising about her is surely deserving of reward, and I loathe the idea of creating problems for my beloved."

"Er... Sorry. Guess I'm a little used to doin' things the way they're usually done 'round here. Woulda rather just invited you somewhere for a glass of tea or somethin', but this ain't really a place that does all that."

In truth, it actually did disappoint Reida that her typical Southern hospitality would have been the correct approach for once. It was, really, just one more reminder that she'd changed into something most wouldn't ever recognize if they'd known her a few years ago. That regret was fairly transparent in her expression, if only because she, for once, wasn't trying to hide anything.

"Beloved... That's a sweet lil' nickname."

In a way, it made Reida a little envious. She certainly wasn't using any of those kinds of words with Alastair, and she wasn't entirely sure she had it in her to do so, either. It was probably nice, being that confident about it.

"Ya up for a cup of coffee while we talk? Know it's kinda gettin warmer again 'round here, but that sea breeze is still plenty rough."

"If you'd like."

Arcadia had glossed over quite a few things with her focus on the more subtle things about Reida, it felt like a irritatingly delicate situation that she was now in and she was not keen for that ice under her feet to break.

Against Reida who told many details such as her regretful look and her need to comment on the pet name, Arcadia's was difficult to read since she wore the same confident and neutral expression as when she was approached and confronted with this.

"I'm afraid I don't have a taste for coffee but I'd be content to join you over it regardless. I suppose you have a more private setting in mind over this?"

"Well, not exactly, but quieter than here in the middle of the city fer sure."

This was going quite terribly, Reida could already tell. She felt fairly sure that it would have been going infinitely better if she'd been either more professional or less professional, but her gruff demeanor was still squarely at odds with her earnest attempts to actually live again. Still, no givin' up.

"I don't want it to be an interrogation or anything like that. Ya wanna leave, I don't want it to seem like I'm tryin' ta keep ya from doin' that.

She led the way toward the little cafe she had in mind, a small place near the edge of the city that gave a nice view of the sea. Honestly, she didn't bring many people here, basically just Alastair. Wouldn't be a good quiet place to go if everyone knew they could find ya there, would it?

"I guess my first question's what brought ya here to the City of Lights. I know ya came with the Grandmaster one day, but I've been wonderin' why, since ya didn't join the Vandenreich. Y'all just friends? Til recently, anyway?"

She had to thank the alignment of the stars the red eyes thought behind her composed look, had Reida approached her in her other formthen he would no doubt have smelt her weakness and dug the claws into her. Even though Reida struggled the unfazed figure was willing to entertain her, she was sincere after all that Reida's bold approach should reap some reward.

It did make her wonder if the insistence that she could leave at any point was an attempt to retreat, to give Arcadia the opportunity to leave, let her get away to centre herself and think about how to do it again, if she would reapproach at all.

"It's quite alright, a little startling initially but I assure you I'm quite comfortable."

Difficult to tell if she was serious or not frankly. Arcadia was the type of woman that could retain her composure in almost any situation, it was what was once demanded of her and it wouldn't leave her.

"You could say that. Our relationship is entirely personal and I would never deign to impose onto my beloved Cyrus' dominion. If you are curious as to why I am still in your City of Lights, living among you, the answer is quite simple. It's because he is here."

Arcadia folded her legs, sitting back just a tad more to look out the window. A faint smile on her face which finally added a bit of change to her static expression, the kind that suggested that she had just remembered a fond memory.

"How did you come to be here yourself?"

It came quickly after she had answered but had Reida not made clear this was not an interrogation? Arcadia had hoped that she had prepared to lay herself bare as well over the course of this exchange.

At least Arcadia didn't seem bothered by how all this had gone, though Reida still didn't exactly feel like she'd done a great job starting things off well. She got a cup of coffee, her eye moving between the ocean and Arcadia until the conversation really began in earnest.

"That right... I guess that ain't surprisin'. Not too much other reason to be here if ya ain't in the Reich, after all."

She thought it was sweet, in a way, though what she knew of the greater situation did make her think twice about that. But that particular train of thought was cut off by Arcadia's line of questioning, not that Reida was surprised by it. Honestly, she was just glad her company was at least engaging in the conversation. Her expression fell as she spoke, though her cadence didn't slow. Sure, it didn't hurt any less, but she'd told the story plenty of times. She never hid it, and she never would.

"The last war took my family from me. Husband and all three of my little ones, gone just like that. Demons, shinigami, hollows... Wouldn't've happened without 'em hangin around like they own the place, way I see it. So I came here. Only place that seems to agree with me."

"I see."

She could've showed pity towards Reida but there was no point to it. It did sadden her though to think that Reida's motivations seemed to lie in vengeance. Maybe it was to be expected since she also carried a burning hatred for the devil that had escaped any reprisals for his actions.

"How have you handled that loss? Awful things are sadly more common than we'd wish for the world, the best we can do when deprived of succor is to try to become stronger individuals."