Stoicism And Whimsy. An Unusual Mix. (Diana, Sabriel)

Sabriel was certainly right about the redheaded Quincy's uncanny ability to turn strangers into friends. Even though Diana did not know the latter before their meeting in Karakura Central the blonde had taken something of a liking to Stella for both her honest advice to think carefully before joining the Vandenreich and her amiable demeanor throughout the conversation. While Stella and Diana were not even close to being best friends the blonde had come away from the meeting with more than just information on a topic she was keen on learning more about. She had also made the acquaintance of someone she might actually want to meet again even if there was no information or other tangible benefits to gain from the reunion. The same sentiment applied to Meninas and Doku as well.

When Sabriel inquired as to where the two Quincies had met each other Diana did not hesitate to answer.

"We met just yesterday in a place called Karakura Central." Diana answered truthfully. The blonde wondered if Sabriel had been to that place before, but considering her earlier assertion about how many places she had traveled to, it would not be a surprise if she had already been there. The Quincy had little reason to doubt that the Arrancar was an experienced traveler who had tales of going to places the blonde had only read about in books. After giving her answer Diana patiently waited for the other young woman's response.

"Stella hinted about one such encounter with a Shinigami." Diana informed Sabriel that she had learned about one of the unpleasant encounters the Arrancar had brought up. All the blonde knew was that Stella had encountered a Shinigami and that was the extent of it. Perhaps the redheaded Quincy did not want to talk further about it and that was perfectly fine.

"If Stella swore you to secrecy you do not have to tell me anything about it." Diana let the dark-haired young woman know that she did not have to tell the story if Stella had made her promise to keep it secret. It was not like Sabriel needed the blonde's permission to remain silent on the matter, but the Quincy still made it clear that she would respect any promise of confidentiality that had been made to Stella. With that being said, Diana decided to move on before she ran her point into the dirt in favor of discussing Karakura Central.

"I can truthfully say that I felt completely safe when I was in Karakura Central. That is a feeling that I have not had in awhile." Diana commented on how secure the place was. Even though she knew a good deal of rural Georgia like the back of her hand she still did not feel totally safe in the woods of her home state. Even when there was nothing threatening around she felt like danger was always just around the corner. In Karakura Central Diana felt totally safe and was able to focus on the conversation with Stella without having to look over her shoulder every few seconds.

Thinking back to the comment she had made on the safety of Karakura Central not too long ago, Diana had not felt that safe in years, back when her family was still alive and her home was not a jumbled collection of rotting timbers waiting for the next strong wind to knock them all down. Life on the road gave Diana freedom, but that freedom came at the cost of having to exercise eternal vigilance. Unless she stopped for the night in a city or town Diana did not know where her next meal would be coming from or where she would be sleeping that night. Staying in a populated area gave her easier access to food and shelter, but safety was no guarantee because she did not know whether the person walking towards her on the sidewalk was just a passerby going about their business or someone scheming to take advantage of her in one way or another. In Karakura Central the Quincy did not feel like danger was just around the corner... she did not have to worry about whether someone was going to kidnap her and have their way with her, kill her in some grimy back alley, or take her as a piece of merchandise to put up for sale on the human trafficking market.

When Sabriel decided to speak on the incident Stella had briefly mentioned Diana was all ears. The incident had taken place in Germany and that Stella was not the only one who had been hurt by the attacker, who was described as a woman with green hair. Four other members of the Vandenreich had also been attacked and were not fortunate enough to survive the encounter. Now Diana understood why the other Quincy was not eager to discuss what had happened to her.

"Joining the Vandenreich is something I am considering, but I am trying to get all the facts before I make a final decision." Diana told Sabriel that she was giving thought to the idea of enlisting and that she on a fact-finding expedition to learn as much as she could about the Vandenreich. It sounded like the Arrancar had more to say on the subject, so the blonde was going to hear her out. Maybe there were less appealing aspects to service that Diana really needed to know about so that she could avoid getting into something she wanted no part of.

Sabriel seemed to think that the altruistic face the Vandenreich showed the world was just a cover. The Arrancar did not elaborate on the nature of what might be being concealed, instead hypothesizing that the organization had something they were protecting. Diana saw no problem with that line of thought because she too had her suspicions about the organization, but she kept them to herself. What motivated her to speak was Sabriel's assertion that freedom was an integral part of her lifestyle. Diana felt the same way and had no problem letting that be known.

"I too value my freedom. That is a major reason why I have not already joined the Vandenreich." Diana calmly stated that the unwillingness to give up her freedom played a role in her remaining an independent Quincy. The blonde liked the freedom to travel as she pleased and liked having control over her life; those perks were what made Diana keep living as she did despite the difficulties and uncertainties that came with her lifestyle. Despite her interest in the Vandenreich she was on a fact-finding expedition and did not intend to make a final decision until she returned to America and to her home in Central Georgia, where she could think over the matter in the comfort of her own home.

"Do not worry, Sabriel. You have not tipped the scales one way or another with your words. I appreciate you warning me about the possible downsides of membership in the Vandenreich, though." Diana assured the other young woman that her statement did not exert an immediate influence on the Quincy's decision-making process. Hopefully the Arrancar would not take Diana's response as a passive-aggressive one. Sabriel had given her something to think about, but she had not given a revelation of such importance that it had immediately made Diana decide to go through with enlisting or decide to abandon the idea once and for all.

While there was still a lot she had to learn about the world, Diana did not make it this far by being totally naive. She had made it this far by not taking what people said at face value and keeping them at arm's length. Being able to make one's own decisions was a vital skill for living a semi-nomadic lifestyle... sometimes strangers had not had her best interest in mind when they offered "advice" and not caving to their "suggestions" had saved her from disaster. A case of her suspicion saving her life occurred while traveling from Columbus to Central Georgia on an overcast day over two years ago. While walking along the side of a paved road Diana had met a stranger wearing a brown Stetson hat and overalls driving a beat-up white van with thin but noticeable streaks of a red substance that had run out from underneath the back doors. He had offered her a ride to town because the weather looked like it was about to turn rainy, but Diana refused because of the streaks, which resembled blood.

The stranger insisted that the red streaks were from paint that had spilled from a paint can he carried in the back of his van, but Diana did not budge. After turning down several offers of a ride the stranger got angry and called Diana a "filthy prostitute" before stomping on the gas pedal and roaring off down the road. When she had arrived in the next town hours later she learned that the man had been arrested for twelve counts of kidnapping and murder and that in the back of the van was quite a few means of restraining people like ropes, duct tape, handcuffs, and chains plus fresh blood that had trickled under the doors, which turned out to be from the recently deceased Victim Number 12. The man was a serial killer who roamed the roads looking for victims and his modus operandi was to offer a young woman a ride to the nearest town, then shove them into the back of the van and restrain them before driving into the nearest isolated wooded area and cutting their throat once they were alone. Diana's hesitance to trust strangers had saved her from becoming Victim Number 13.

When asked if she had a significant other Diana paused for just a moment because she had not anticipated that question coming up, but she was going to give an honest answer.

"I do not have a significant other of either gender, Sabriel." Diana answered with complete honesty. She was not sure why the question had come up, but it was nothing that alarmed her enough to cut the conversation short. At any rate she had already given her answer, so she would see where the conversation went from here.