vatheon | (no subject)

Entry tags:

kanaya maryam

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Who: Kanaya Maryam, anyone else.
Where: Plaza
When: March 2nd, 2012, not too long after the Signless's Speech.
Style: Action or prose, whatever. I'll do either!
Status: Open to all

Another new arrival to Vatheon, cold, wet, and confused. She reacted as many probably have, spinning around with a weapon in hand, taking in her surroundings... looking for a threat, for whatever had brought her to this strange place. All in all, nothing that out of the ordinary. Well, maybe the chainsaw whipping around, motor revving. That's a bit scary. After a moment the newcomer seems to accept her new surroundings. The sawblade stops spinning, and the weapon shrinks to a tube of lipstick.
She seems less startled, but still on edge. She doesn't know where she is or what brought her here. Surrounded by different species going about their business. As if her sudden departure from the meteor wasn't cause enough for alarm, whatever brought her her also managed to ruin her dress.

Someone was going to have to answer for this.

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Kanaya turned to see who made the remark. Oh... Ok. That's an adult Troll. That's not good. The lipstick remained in Kanaya's hand just in case as she eyed the handmaid warily.

"Who are you and where are we?"

Oh.

Oh.

She had heard about the Dolorosa's elegance before. Her motherly presence. But seeing it on the little one, most likely her descendant- The Handmaid shook her head, a hand going as the motion made her slightly dizzy. "This is a location known as Vatheon. And you may call me the Demoness, little... Dolorosa, correct?"

"I am sorry Demoness but my name is Kanaya. I do not know any Dolorosa." Kanaya could see the state the other woman was in. The lack of equilibrium was hint enough but even out in this open space the jadeblood could hear the Adult's harsh breaths. The Chainsaw returned to her strife portfolio, nearly forgotten as concern covered her face. Kanaya took step forward, hand outstretched. "Are you alright?"

"It merely appears to be a small curse. I will be fine, child." She smiled slightly, gently knocking Kanaya's hand aside. "You're a kind little thing, I see. Jade blooded?"

"Yes Ma'am." She wasn't sure how to react to these adults. It seemed best to play it safe and be as respectful as possible. At the same time Kanaya needed to find out more about this place and it seemed like this would be s good a place as any to start until more people responded to her communication device. "What do you mean by curse if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's sad, really. Any other time and I would be forced to kill you for this kindness, not have the chance to speak with one with the same color blood as his guardian." The Demoness coughed slightly, her hand to her mouth. "And it's a... function of this place. Occasionally, it seems, this place enjoys cursing the inhabitants. The last, for instance, had been a most amusing fairy tale world."

And what seemed the safest course is suddenly thrown back at her. What does that mean? She would kill me for being kind? That's the sort of insane attitude she would expect from a highblood, not someone from the very bottom of the hemospectrum...

Then Kanaya could only stare in shock. That dress. A long, form fitting cheongsam with that strange back and forth hem... A woman in green calling herself the Demoness. The rainbow drinker has not often spent time in normal society, preferring to tend her gardens or work on her other hobbies, but she was not ignorant of the cultural connotations associated with the person standing before her.

"Oh. I... think I understand now... May I ask you a question Demoness?"

"You may, little Kanaya." She smiled tiredly at her, looking pleased at the thought.

Kanaya hesitated a little more, unsure about how appropriate this line of questions would be. However she was far too intrigued to let it pass by. She used the delay to carefully form her question.

"Why do you wear that dress?"

Her face instantly closed off as her fingers ran over the hemline on her arm. The Demoness took a deep breath, the sound rasping unpleasantly in her chest. "I have no other choice," she said softly.

"Oh..."
Kanaya thought for a bit. The Demoness had already admitted that she would not kill her right now. If she didn't work this out now who knows when she might get another chance.
"I have worked with almost every textile available on Alternia. I've dyed many materials and tried many techniques but I've never been able to make a green like that. That sort of green I have only seen once..."

The Demoness looked at her for a long moment, blinking a bit in surprise before a small smile crossed her face. "Ah." She nodded. "It is an unearthly green, isn't it. As this isn't Alternia, I would think you could find something very close, if not exactly this color. There's much here that I never expected."

That wasn't quite what Kanaya was leading towards, but it's too late now. The moment has passed and she'd feel too awkward bringing it back up. The manipulator of her friends, the one who led her early life and quite probably caused her to rise after her death... Kanaya wasn't sure she wanted to talk about that now. She almost managed to get it out, approaching the subject from the side, but now it's too late. Besides, she was honestly more interested in the Demoness than that slight connection to Kanaya's past.

The legends and myths surrounding her were impossible to be true, and yet here she was in the flesh. By all rights The jadeblood should have been frightened at every possible level. If even a fraction of the myths were loosely based on reality then before her was perhaps the most dangerous person in history. And yet, something about her intrigued Kanaya. This was the first Adult troll she had ever met, and unlike so many others of their race she was dressed impeccably. She couldn't let it go without comment.

"I suppose if one had no other choice in what they must wear then it could be a far worse fate than to be resigned to wearing such a nice dress. It complements you very well. The pattern is amazing too, subduing the shape and drawing attention to that unique hem..." Oh God Im Rambling Again
Kanaya stopped before going any further, looking embarrassed. "I apologize. I've never met anther troll that wears anything beyond the most basic clothing and it's not fair of me to critique your clothing if it is not yours by choice..." Still Rambling Oh God Wheres The Summoner Shouldnt He Be Here Soon

The Demoness placed a finger over her lips. "You enjoy fashion quite a bit, I see," she said, amused. "You're quite right, no other troll wears what I do. It's one of a kind. I'm afraid I can't answer any questions about the construction," she continued with a chuckle. "I had no input into the making of it." Her finger moved off Kanaya's lips slowly, her eyes drawn to the fangs pointing from her lips. Even her fangs are elegant.

"But if you're interested, little one, we can set up an appointment for you to study it. As of right now it's all I have so I cannot just lend it to you. And I would suppose you have questions for me beyond my clothing. It's only natural, it seems, for trolls to be curious about Death."

"..." Kanaya stopped speaking when the finger touched her lips, half because that was the expected reaction from such a gesture and half because her mind suddenly went blank. Mid-babble and she suddenly couldn't remember a thing she was saying. The effect was so complete it took her a moment to even realize the Demoness was talking to her. She couldn't help but stare back into the eyes of the Handmaid, feeling them dance over her face. Kanaya remained quiet for a minute after the Demoness finished. It took her a moment to start thinking again as her mind finished recovering from... whatever it was that just happened.

"Death... I don't know if I really have any questions about that. I've experienced it twice already if you count the death of a dreamself. I know it's not quite the same but it's still a significant event. However, I faced a regular death as well. I was murdered by a Troll who wielded a weapon I helped him create. I experienced it fully, bleeding out from a chest wound. And then..." Kanaya paused, trying to give her mind a head start over her mouth, "and then I came back as I am now." She still wasn't sure why she had risen as a rainbow drinker, though she had suspicions. He was always telling her stories about the creatures of the day...

"As you are now?" Her thumb brushed across Kanaya's cheek, looking at the dark grey next to Kanaya's own glowing white. Then, her entire face lit up in understanding. "Ah! A rainbow drinker!" She proceeded to smile widely, taking the younger troll's wrists and leading her to the nearest place to sit. "You must tell me how this feels as well as how it felt to rise as a rainbow drinker."

Kanaya was again overwhelmed by the sudden actions of the older troll, being guided obediently to a bench where she sat next to the Demoness. "I only know about rainbow drinkers from old novels and... what I had heard. I've been like this for a few hours from my perspective so I don't even know what is true about this condition and what is just the fanciful elaborations of various authors. I feel..." She paused for a moment to think deeply and focus on her actual feelings. "I feel different. Warm. I feel a warmth from within me greater than the expected homeostasis. That at least seems consistent with a majority of accounts. And I feel... fatigued I guess would be the best way of putting it. Not tired. I haven't slept since the change and I feel no need to do so now." She stopped again, trying desperately to focus on the memories of her death and subsequent metamorphosis and less on the woman sitting so, close to her. The lack of distance there was startlingly uncomfortable, but Kanaya could not decide if she was afraid to be so close to such a dangerous person or if she was disturbed because there was still little distance left...

"Uhm The Change Felt, Uh." She stammered a little, trying to find words while simultaneously fearing and enjoying the attention the Demoness was paying her. She collected her wits as best she could and continued. "My rise from death felt euphoric. I was born anew, and many of the petty concerns of life dropped away. The lust for blood was there but not as all consuming as some stories would suggest. Stronger than that was an instinct for revenge. I began to hunt the troll that killed me. I could smell him and track him. I felt a sort of animal mindset, and wasn't quite in control of my self. It was like a dream I guess." The younger troll looked into the smile of the elder and nearly melted on the spot. "Do... you know anything about this condition? Anything that isn't just rumor or stories?"

She listened, fascinated by Kanaya's words. Fatigue, revenge... "If I may ask, dear child, have you eaten? Desiring food can change any troll's mindset for the darker. But how you are... I may think you might desire things a beautiful jade blood never wishes for before. Impulses you handled with ease may overwhelm you, especially blood hungry as it seems you may be." Her hand tilted Kanaya's chin up, looking. "... I admit, I'm a bit fascinated by you. You're very different than other trolls."

"You are very different yourself..." Kanaya trailed off as she stared into the eyes of the servant of death. With as much will as she could muster she pulled back from that hand and stood up. Why was that so hard...

"I have not eaten... food. In my haze after the change I believe I drank blood from at least two people. I don't quite remember the events but I remember the taste. Unfortunately I need to be going. My friends already think I am on my way to meet them." Kanaya hesitated yet again, just another pregnant pause in a conversation dominated by such. "I'm fascinated by you as well, Demoness. I would like to meet with you again. I do have more questions for you, and I would like the opportunity to examine your dress more carefully. I need to go but I sincerely hope we will meet again, and soon." She was standing, she had said her goodbye... and yet she couldn't bring herself to leave.

"Do watch yourself." Within a second, her demeanor changed. "There are many here that are quite unpredictable, and many you would thought to be an ally may end up an enemy."

Kanaya nodded carefully. Would that include you? Somehow the thought seemed hollow. She understood logically that she had no reason to trust the Demoness, but at the same time she almost felt as if she didn't care how dangerous she might be. It was a disconcertingly familiar feeling. "I will keep your advice in mind. Thank you very much for your concern." She moved to finally leave, but stopped herself for a final glance at this intriguing person. "I... hope you feel better soon."

Kanaya turned and began to follow Karkat's instructions to reach the elevator. She didn't even realize she was smiling through that whole last exchange...

Edited 2012-03-09 00:10 (UTC)

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[adorably embarrassed glowing troll girl]

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[Five minutes in Vatheon and she's already dropping a Lugosi reference]

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