A Tombstone Every Mile [Reida, Liltotto]

'Nother mission out here in the States, eh? Reida didn't hate it, especially since they were up in New England this time instead of the badlands. Better out here where she spoke the language than off somewhere like China. She'd had to go out there a few times, and even though she had Jones with her to translate, it made things way harder than she'd have cared for. Needing a translator next to you all the time wasn't exactly her style.

But admittedly, Reida wasn't really working solo much these days. She didn't really mind that, either, and her eye glanced over at the companion she'd found herself paired up with once again. She guessed it made sense, really. Most of the Vandenreich were in a lot of danger working with her, but not this one.

"So, Liltotto, how's that volunteer work over at that restaurant goin'?"

Reida was, quite unabashedly, actually curious about why Liltotto seemed to be there so often. She appreciated a good charity kitchen as much as anyone, of course, and she actually stopped in fairly often given how much of her pay went to her whiskey still and developing new tools for the job. It hadn't really surprised her seeing Liltotto there so much, but it had been more surprising seeing here there regularly.

Well another deployment so soon wasn't unexpected with her role, but with the same person? Well, even that was predictable with a second of thought - she was probably one of the only operatives that could safely work with Reida if a combat situation arose. At least they weren't baking in the heat in the dust this time. She proved to be good company in that otherwise super uncomfortable climate, so she definitely wasn't complaining to the idea of working with her again.

She was relaxed, watching the trees as she was gradually working down one of many sandwiches she packed, until her partner's question took her out of her leaf watching,

"Ohp, that?" She'd blink twice before continuing, "Oh, it's pretty alright. Busy as hell, kitchen work, yadda ladda - not an intensity i've never experienced before. Reminds me of the several fast food jobs i've had in my life, minus the soul-sucking atmosphere and persistent desire to chuck myself off the nearest corporate sign."

She'd softly laugh, a fond smile forming on her face, "I make myself useful, I meet a guy, I get someplace to have good food, win win win. Well, last thing doesn't require me to be there, but I go anyway," She'd shrug, "What about you, what's been new on your end of the life stick?"

Taking a sip of whiskey, Reida thought for a moment about how she actually ought to answer that question. A lot had happened in the little bit of time since her and Liltotto had last been in the field. In a way, it didn't entirely feel real, but boy oh boy had it ever been real.

"Mostly the same, I guess you could say. Been gettin' out a little more, good for the body n' the mind n' all that. Spendin' time with my guy. You know how it goes."

Reida would freely admit that she didn't mind being a bit more open with Liltotto than with most other people, but she really wasn't the sort to ever go around just openly proclaiming all the intimacies of her personal life even with her best friends.

"Ya ever met the Grandmaster's lady friend?"

It was a question that probably came a bit out of left field, but it was something she felt like she ought to ask about. It was mostly just genuine curiosity, but Reida had to admit she sympathized with the woman more than most people probably would. Besides, out here in the woods, the hell else was there to do but chat?

She'd dip her head in a slight nod to Reida's brief summation of the current events in her life, giving a half smile with her lazy expression, "Yeah? Sounds good. Apart from having to handle a situation or two, time's been pretty alright on my end."

Liltotto was checking in on Giselle pretty frequently to make sure she was alright, especially in the state she visited her in. Generally checking in on those she was familiar with was her prerogative for a bit, but seeing that everything was alright apart from some confusion was reassuring and a stress off her mind. Her gaze caught and followed movement in the trees, that turned out to just be a small group of sparrows branch hopping. Cute little things.

"Lady friend..?" She'd speak in a gentle, puzzled tone as she tried to figure who Reida could've been talking about, taking a considerable bite out of her sandwich. Helle? Definitely not, didn't take a genius to understand what was going on there. She didn't really pay much attention to whatever the Grandmaster was doing unless it was actually important, his personal affairs and relations weren't her concern - he was just her boss after all.

"Yeah, no, don't think we've met. I'd know who that was pretty fast otherwise," She was an old wench, but she'd never been given reason to doubt her memory, especially on more recent things, "How come? Something happen?"

"Well, sayin' somethin' happened makes it sound like she was causin' problems, but I had a chat with her the other day. Seems like it wasn't exactly for nothin', since you n' most of the Vandenreich barely know she exists."

Reida's tone wasn't accusatory, though. If anything, it seemed to be by Arcadia's own design that she'd avoided interacting with too many other members of the Vandenreich. That distance she'd built up...well, it reminded Reida of herself in some small way, but she didn't think it was quite healthy.

"Talked to her just to try and get somethin' more firm on her. All my files really said was 'Danava, blonde.' Ain't much to put in an intelligence report, now is it?"

Laughing quietly at the notion, Reida's eye shot briefly toward the woods to her left. She was used to the forest from hunting trips and the like, but up here in the north wasn't quite her specialty. She was a little more on edge than normal.

"Oh, nah, that's not what my impression was." The thought that the woman was causing trouble never even crossed her mind, if anything she was certain she would have heard about her if she was in fact causing issues in the city, "Yeah, if that was all the data you guys had on her, investigation definitely wasn't a waste. Tolgestalten definitely never slack with info gathering."

She wasn't entirely informed on what the branch was always up to, which probably was a good thing - not a great look to have your covert guys' movements and gatherings be freely known to everyone. Liltotto's demeanor was it's normal relaxed self until she reflexively followed Reida's gaze, subtly allowing her sense of smell to take a quick check of the area, mouth slightly opening as she focused breathing through her nostrils, before relaxing,

"Chill, only spicy thing here's you." She'd chuckle, the comment far more literal than teasing - if she was ever looking out for hollows, she always checked for a prickling, spiced scent in the area first. She had learned to filter out Reida's own hollow-like scent, it was a lot weaker smelling compared to the real thing after all, even as she was next to her.

"Hey, you can never be too careful out here in these woods. 'Sides, I've only got one of these left, so I try n' keep it sharp."

Reida always tended to make light of her missing eye, mostly because it wasn't as if there was really any alternative. Besides, as far as things she'd lost went, the eye was roughly the last thing she was upset about. Ah, but she was getting caught up in her memories now. It was one thing to remember, but it wasn't good to drown in it.

"Besides, ain't like we get too many patrols up here, so I figure we might run into somethin' people don't typically catch."

"Yeah, I get you, never hurts to be careful - 'sides, even if my sense of smell is ridiculous it probably wouldn't catch something barreling at us all outta nowhere." She'd shrug, not incredibly unconcerned of any faults in her sense. If something was intending on rushing them then it wasn't like catching their scent would do much in that department, and boy she would not trade overpowered smell for overpowered hearing, "Keep it up though, you'll probably get four eyes' worth of sight out of the one. Swear my old fart of an archery instructor from way back when had several front and back. Could nail a guy from forever away with the one eye yet know if you were messing around with his back turned."

A fond laugh at the distant memory, she'd keep a sense of alertness even as she walked, checking if anything weird was roaming around just in case, having moved onto her next sandwich while quietly offering Reida one with one extended in her free hand.

"So, what do you think about the Vandenreich?" She'd ask in a passive tone, looking forth, "You don't got Quincy heritage or anything from what I understand, not that it's a bad thing what with the new focus on not being dumb xenophobic assholes about... Everything. Usually it's a pride thing or just wanting to make some difference with the younger generations. What's your take?"

"Now that'd be the dream, wouldn't it? Tell ya what, after a while ya start to forget what depth perception was even like. Real bitch to get used to when it came to shootin', but nowadays it ain't a big deal."

She'd looked into efforts to replace the missing eye, of course, but those had only ended up being far more trouble than they were worth. Reida'd found the hard way that it wasn't so much that she'd lost an eye, but that she'd been cursed not to have one at all. The few attempts to put in a new one, either organic or cybernetic, had just left things a little worse than before under the eyepatch.

"What do I think of it? Think it's the only group I'd be willin' to put my life on the line for. The rest of 'em can burn in hell."

Most of the Vandenreich may not have been particularly xenophobic, and really, it wasn't as if Reida was, either. She didn't have an issue with shinigami or anyone just based on their race. No, her issue with the Gotei was entirely based on affiliation.

"I joined 'cause they were the only ones that didn't catch my home in the crossfire. Good enough reason for me to like 'em, ain't it?"

She’d give a small smile Reida’s way with her adapting to having just one eye; if not for the visible reminder, she would’ve thought the woman still had both with how good a shot she’s witnessed her to be. There were a lot of things that held people back, but for the determined never has she seen physical limitations stop them from living their lives.

“..Yeah, it feels like the only place for me.” Liltotto would reminiscence while eating another sandwich, looking at her surroundings, “I’m too much of a freak to mesh into humanity perfectly, being alone sucks ass, and I barely tolerate the Gotei, hate ‘em.”

She seemed vaguely angry with the last sentiment, softly flaring her nostrils as her expression soured a bit, as if she hit some foul spot in her food, “..But it’s whatever.”