Shoring Up the Border (Open Topic)

Anna was making the rounds in the outskirts of her domain. Menos ignored the Glen because of the illusion, but it didn't stop them from bumping into the walls and sometimes damaging the runes. So, she had to ward the area just outside to keep them away. In animal terms, the runes she uses causes the area to smell dangerous to them.

As she was drawing a rune on a tree she sighed. "I wished these lasted longer than a few days." She said, exasperated.

A garganta opened up near the glen, the Corona stepping out and flipping her hair while her bells chimed. "You go to so much effort for this area. It is amusing Anna."

She moved to stand near the edge, peering at whatever Anna did with somewhat curious eyes, looking around the smaller arrancar. "Can't you find others to help you with this work?"

Ooc: I assume open means more then 1 is ok?

Ic: "I could always help you relocate" says an inconspicuous Avatar of Dragon's who had seemed to have been standing nearby all along.

He looked at the various Runes. "Well aren't these fascinating"

"Madame Corona!" Anna yelped, her tails standing on end. She quickly brushed her fur down and calmed down. She looked at the illusory wall of trees, face softening, and sighed. "A labor of love, but a labor none the less."

At Sarai's mention of the area the Segunda, Dagon, walked out of seemingly thin air. Her ears perked and her tails swished low and cautiously. Anna didn't like Dagon very much, he had a very alien feel to him, and he sent her instincts into alert. "Good afternoon, Segunda. That is a generous offer, but I rather enjoy the Glen, it puts me at peace."

"Thank you Dagon, and no, these are rather specific to me, it seems." She said looking down and kind of meek at the Corona. Anna didn't normally have an issue with authority figures, but when the current one was leader of the realm and one of the most powerful beings in existence, it was a little disconcerting.

Saraiyu waited patiently for Anna's fur and tail to revert back to her usual state. It was embarrassing to be startled like this, and while she found it amusing she was trying to be nice today. Looking around she gave a small hming sound as she examined the outside more. "There are sayings about how loving something makes the work easier. I take it that isn't the case here?"

Ignoring the avatar of Dagon for now, she smiled slightly as she bent over. "These runes really are amazing. We use them so much, it must keep you busy all the time. I came to see if I could help a bit, and visit socially. I suppose the first one is out of the question then?"

"Saraiyu is fine for now, this really isn't a formal visit Anna."

"Oh My, Am I intruding on something? It seems as if I have put both of you on guard. That was not my intention." He says with a curt smile and light bow. The Avatar began to walk around. In truth, he had rarely ever visited this place. The menos forest held very little appeal to him although he had to admit it held a kind of beauty.

"I suppose, but tedium is tedium." She smiled wistfully. She pondered for a moment, "Well, I suppose you could always help by proxy. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only person who can scribe these kinds of symbols," She pointed to the rune on the tree, "But, anyone can fill up the rune, once written, with spirit energy. They kind of work like rechargeable batteries. I haven't been a member of the group very long now, so I haven't really had the time to explain the ins and out of my work." She giggle and scratched the back of her head. "So, just let anyone know, unless its a specific rune they can generally recharge it themselves. That would help me a bunch!"

She glanced over at Dagon's avatar after he mentioned intruding, "Well, I can't say you were intruding on me, its just your alien nature sets my instincts off. To put it bluntly, you're unnerving." She wasn't trying to be mean or short with him, just truthful. "Whether you're intruding is up to Madame Saraiyu."

"I just wanted to talk to her first. It would have been rude to ignore the person I came to visit and socialized with. I was told I should socialize more, and as long as she is fine with the intrusion I have no say. This is her land. I do let you all have autonomy in that aspect, especially for socializing." One eyebrow raised, she glanced at the avatar. Tapping her lips with her finger, she turned to the magical worker.

"If it will help that much, I could start filling them all and making pamphlets.. I have so much energy but rarely a chance to use it. Then you could make more of those rather nice water heating ones? I wish to make more baths. Ten more."

The avatar smiled plainly. "There is no need to be on guard although I do understand it. I am here only to serve in whatever devices that I am able. If you need help, please do hesitate to ask."

Trust was a tough thing to develop but if he was going to be acting as a comrade to others then they should be able to put their faith in him... Or so Dagon thought. That takes time but time is the one thing they have in excess.

He then stood a moment staring at the scenery. It was quite idlyc as if he was remembering something fondly. Somewhere else Dagon was smiling too

"Thank you, both of you, but this is something I can finish quite simply." She continued to touch up the runes as her comrades followed her around. "Sure thing, ma'am! I'll get it done as soon as I have free time. If you two have any other requests, don't hesitate." As she finished up she sighed happily, "Would either of you like to come in for some tea?"

"What are you thinking?" Sarai noticed Dagon's preoccupation with the scenery. It looked nice, but nothing more than expected. She preferred the desert and designed places than such greenery. The desert was always her home.

"I'll think on requests." Tossing some teal hair over her shoulder, Saraiyu for a moment before nodding and waving Anna ahead. "I would love some tea actually. So much tea lately."

"I do actually have some requests. My network of intelligence does not extend as far into these depths as I would hope and I do not know the area as well as I should. At some point, would you mind helping me make a sweep of the area and set up some information relays for quicker movement between various parts of Las Noches?" The Avatar asks suddenly snapped to attention. "And yes, Tea would be good."

She smiled and waved her hand. The interlaced vines and trees beckoned at her call and parted, leading way into the peaceful clearing. "I can help you set up some relays in the outskirts of the menos forest, and just outside the forest in the desert, but I don't like to be spied on. I will not permit listening devices close to my domain." The thought of that thing possibly listening in on her was absolutely out. Shaking off the seriousness, she sashayed to the cabin, tails contently swishing behind her. Opening the door to the cabin, "Welcome to my home," she beamed.

Saraiyu followed behind Anna, her eyes taking it all in. She liked exploring other's homes. It was Anna's choice to not wish to be spied on, though she wasn't sure Dagon would do the spying on her in the first place. It could try at least.

Peering around the cabin, Sarai's eyes kept getting distracted by the arrancar's tails and she teased a bell on her chain while trying to focus on the place itself instead of the inhabitant. "I wonder why you kept those in this form? They are amusing, I have to admit. The tails I mean. They twitch so much."

The avatar merely laughed at the paranoia but then nodded knowingly. "I have little interest in what you do in your domain, only what might occur to it from those on the outside of it. While I would simply be overjoyed to do nothing, I do not believe we have the luxury to completely compartmentalize ourselves which is why these relays are important to the preservation of the Espada and not just you and your domain. Lucky for us it does not require that I place any within your sanctum provided you keep it monitored yourself and I have no doubt that you can do that."

As they enter the cabin Dagon says nothing as he scans his new surroundings.

"Ever since I grew them I've been quite fond of them. They seem to correlate to my magic abilities somewhat. Also, I must admit I have a proclivity to the Japanese media, and the let me nerd out a little," her tails curled around her midriff as she pet them. "I could hide them, but I enjoy them too much."

"Then I have no qualms in aiding you Dagon." She didn't mind helping with a relay system in the wastes, and perhaps some in the menos forest. Anywho, Tea! She rustle through a cabinet, china and beakers clanging together, and fished out a tea set with a happy gasp. Filling the kettle with water, she pulled out a small metal disc with a rune on it, which glowed when she set the kettle down. "Any other things you two wish to know whilst the tea brews?"

One eyebrow raised at Dagon's words. Was he challenging her way of leading? She would remember such a comment. It could be a sign of more unrest, or if unrest showed up... it could be a sign he could be a cause.

"They look soft." Saraiyu's eyes narrowed as she turned to look at herself, trying to imagine tails on her form... They wouldn't fit her at all and she knew it, a tiny chuckle escaping from her lips over her musing. "You don't have to hide them at all. What is this about japanese media? Enlighten us, please."

What could the arrancar mean? Did it have to do with something about those things Elly watched sometimes? No matter, she was including Dagon in on her curiosity as well.

Dagon had nothing to say which happens on occasion. The avatar just listened to their convo before shortly replying with "nothing at the moment but thanks for asking"

"I am quite fond of the animated games and cartoons of Japan. There are also comic books and the tails make me feel like one of those characters. I mean, the surrealness that we use to be human and now we are these powerful beings isn't lost on me." Anna actually thought on this quite a bit. The after-life ended up being quite odd.

After a few minutes a whistling broke one of the small breaks in conversation. Anna spun on her heel and grabbed a small cloth to grab the handle of the kettle. Pouring each of them a cup, the kitsune pulled out a tin of cookies and a jar of sugar. "Help yourselves!" she said with a smile.

Sarai glanced a Dagon, wondering if that was all he came for. She had some questions for the woman, but they could wait for later when they were alone. Socialization came first!

Her lips pursed as she thought about those words, coming to a bit of an understanding. She gave a few nods at this revelation. "I see I seeee. I suppose it is, but I've been this way for far too long. My human life was so long ago that it seems almost like a tiny dream I had once, I do not think about it that much."

Grabbing the sugar, the Corona poured a bit in her cup and stirred before snacking on a cookie. She seemed to be having these a lot. Weird.

The avatar took the cookie and began to eat quite readily. Even though Dagon didn't eat, his avatars weren't immune to such fancy. "None to surprising really, arrancars are closer to humans then most other types of hollows but at the same time we are still hollows and are more different as a result. What I mean to say is, large variety amongst arrancars are to be expected."

Of course he gave no insight on himself as he could not quite recognize one human life from the thousands he had within him. It was probably better not to mention that fact at the moment.

Drinking tea and reveling in the company she pondered to herself for a bit. She really did feel like she had been in the world relatively recently. Maybe with the last half century or so? She couldn't be sure. It didn't quite matter now, she guessed. Now she was the fifth highest power in this realm, and that definitely something. Speaking of power, "So what brought you hear today, Ms. Saraiyu? Dagon already stated his business, I am kind of curious to yours."

"Pretty much Dagon." Sarai laughed, setting her glass down so she could lean back and cross her arms. Now that Anna asked...well it couldn't hurt to have Dagon thinking on this as well.

"I want to find a way into the Hollow's land and need your expertise. I don't want to force my way in...but I don't like them having a clear advantage. I do not expect betrayal, but I am not stupid enough to blindly trust they won't..."

"Even if its never used, having it is the best thing for us at the moment. Can you help me?" Sarai smirked, hoping one of the two would be able to.

The avatar's eye perked up but remained silent for Anna's thoughts on the subject before including his own. Crossing the barriers between worlds was his specialty.

"Hmmm..." The kitsune hummed while thinking. There were a few Ideas, most of them were bad though. "If we could somehow get me there in the first place, I could make something to get us to and from. I doubt it would be easy to convince them to let me in though." She took a long drink from her tea. "But if you can get me in, I more than likely can create a way to get to and from there."