Crimson on My Bones [Alex, Ulquiorra]

The Odelschwanck estate.

Though she visited often, it still felt a bit strange at times to come to the place. The Proverbial love nest of one of her peers that had found a connection in the world of the living. She had been assured that her visitations were welcomed. But all the same, there was an atmosphere that she still wasn't quite used to. The little ones perhaps? Or was it something about the bond that had her feeling uncertain. A woman who so often was assured with absolute certainty, it was troublesome that this was something she couldn't pinpoint.

But, this was good.

Uncertainty was an emotion, like so many others. Experience meant she could, in time, learn about it.

She gently knocked on the door before folding her hands in front of her, waiting for an answer. She could sense Nel was off shopping, the one home was Alex. Which was good.

He was who she was looking to speak to.

Once the door was opened, she offered a gentle dip, a fraction of a curtsy as she looked to the young man.

"Vaugrenard." She greeted him, holding up a small bag as she did. "I brought you and Nel some Whiskey." Some of the contacts in the Todgestalen had told her that alcohol made a good gift. She decided to test that.

Those bright green eyes of hers watched the man closely as he accepted the drink, something he no doubt had gotten more than used to ages ago. She still wasn't even close to doing something about that piercing gaze of hers. All the same, she stepped inside as she was guided into the home, taking a moment to glance around, curious if he'd been in the midst of anything as she offered a calm response. "Just some water, thank you." She removed her jacket and hung it up at the door. Not that she was cold, she had simply noted that humans would grow concerned if she was out on a cold night without one.

As Alex went about getting some water, she waited patiently by the counter, and once he'd returned she accepted the glass, took a sip, and then refocused on her host. "Sorry for showing up so late in the evening. But I was hoping to ask you a few things. In particular: In regards to your feelings and experience here in the city, and with the Vandenreich."

She imagined that she would not have been alone. Cyrus had reached out to her when she was known to be in the city, and she had wound up, even as a non employee, working with members of the vandenreich on the investigation into the Princessa. She surmised that at the very least, Nel and Alex might have been approached at some point by them. And even if they hadn't, well. There was still the incident with the prisoner. While she herself had not slain him, she still had an indirect hand in his capture, and ultimately his death. She'd later explained the situation to the couple, but she wasn't sure how they had taken to what had happened now that things had settled.

She was well aware that the family had by sheer luck, managed to avoid the fate of their once-home. And now, trouble cropped up where they had moved to. There was, of course, ultimately no actual correlation. Pragmatically, this was coincidence. But people were too ingrained in pattern recognition to not sometimes be suspicious, and she was curious if such thoughts plagued her friends.

Her gaze shifted around the house. And well, if those maps he'd been looking over were out nd about, then she'd take a glance at them, otherwise she'd simply turn her attention back to the man as he offered the answer to her question. Suffice to say, she wasn't surprised that such an offer had been extended to the man. Though she did pause for a moment. She had heard quite a bit about Ninsianna, but she had yet to actually meet the woman other than brief encounters whenever they visited at the same time, but those had always been brief encounters. She made a mental note to meet them properly at some point when she wasn't distracted.

Prime rule for making friends. Become familiar with the friends of your existing friends.

Still, she let a hand rest on the counter as she considered his pragmatic response to her question. Though it did provide a bit of information she hadn't had yet. So he'd met with Alastair, but not Cyrus.

"And this Alastair. What were your thoughts about him? I imagine that a portion of his 'pitch' was informing you of the purpose of the vandenreich?" She ventured as she glanced at Alex over her shoulder. She had met with Cyrus before, but that had been something of a ...flaccid encounter. Her eyes rarely deceived her, and though he had been sincere in his approach, she could tell that there was a lack of ...energy within him. His words had been gentle, polite, but didn't contain the conviction that one might expect from someone in such a position of power and sway.

And now, Alastair was in charge. And so she was curious what impression the man had left on her friend.

The assessment was what she expected. She felt that the man was the kind of individual Alex would respect. However, she felt that he would also be wary of him. but that may very well be something Alex might not express openly, or perhaps be attentive to on the surface regardless. Such was the nature of driven men. Alex said it well enough after all, he had not provided reason to distrust him.

She let her gaze shift towards the map strewn across the table, and then back to Alex himself.

"He most certainly is a driven man. The kind of individual that will attain his purposes, or die in the attempt. Or worse." She conclusion, her voice neutral and without sympathy for the supposed fate of such an individual. She took a chair and sat across from Alex, her gaze squarely on the maps, before she glanced back up and looked at the man whom she'd become quite familiar with.

"Much like yourself. As much as you have stated, you would like to spend time with your family. There are still things that garner your attention. You have found other living things with which your life has become dictated. Their benefit now eternally guides your actions. Perhaps for the better." But perhaps. In time, that would no longer become the case. After all, if something were to happen to Nel or the Children. What indeed would become of Alex?

She looked up and took a moment to study the man. And she wondered, thinking back to the recordings of the Kurosaki incident. The look of death in that once-savior's eyes.

Would Alex too, be condemned to such a state?

"I feel as if I've made progress in my endeavors. Even if it was just observing you and the family. I find the circumstances around your actions less and less surprising. However irrational they may seem at times. But it occurs to me that, inevitably. I too may find someone or something important." She let her chin rest over her laced fingers.

"Cyrus attempted to recruit me into the Vandenreich. But I declined. But it had nothing to do with authority. But rather. the Vandenreich is ... particular. It has a mission statement, but the expression of its members of that mission varies considerably. And in time, I feel this will only become more apparent. My former self may have found it more comfortable to join up. But I find myself hesitating. After all. This special someone I've yet to let into my heart. May yet be incompatible with the ideals of the Vandenreich." She noted quietly, before letting her eyes shift to a close. Contemplating.

"It's an insipid reason." She opened her eyes, clearly looking for his input.

She couldn't help but close her eyes and take a moment to imagine it. This hypothetical person. And she wondered wat form they would take. A Friend? A Lover? An Enemy even? There were so many ways that the heart could hold onto something. As of yet, she had simply been seeking to find friends. And even that had had somewhat limited results. She had, more or less, garnered a few, but nothing had truly sunk in. Was she perhaps, doing it wrong?

True, the one thing she had felt a connection to was someone who had once been her captive. But that was not a particularly productive route to pursue.

"MY endeavors have not been particularly successful. Neither in the pursuit of the heart. Nor in my investigations into the whereabouts of Orihime Inoue." She noted softly, closing her eyes. She was not discouraged, but things had been more quiet than she expected. Kurosaki had never been particularly patient. And yet, he had yet to emerge. This was far more...purposeful than before. Just how much had the man changed? Hm.

"Do you have any suggestions?"