The Particular Thing and the Knowing Individual [Helle, Ninsianna]

Ninsianna had, naturally, been more than a touch displeased with the entire situation surrounding Helle. She wasn't angry at the woman herself, at course, but at everything that had come to define this period of waiting. Uncertainty, silence, it was all fundamentally opposed to who Ninsianna was as a person.

But, at the very least, it seemed that was over now. Helle had recovered, and despite knowing she would have to face the reality of what she had said, that was inconsequential when compared to the thought of seeing her well again, even if in the faintest measure. So she walked into the hospital, and entered Helle's room without hesitation.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Impossible. Come. Come."

Almost like clockwork, Helle invited Ninsianna closer. To be honest, the woman was waiting for this. After so long of tormenting tests and checkups, followed by other official business, a friendly face is well needed. Though, that friendly face has a lot of dust hidden underneath its splendor. Helle is unsure how to unpack the load before her. Would ignorance be bliss? Maybe the direct path is necessary. Thoughts of what happened then still taunt her.

"Hello, Ninsianna. I see you're faring well."

Probably the chippiest Helle has in a long while, it seemed almost unnatural for the woman to smile and mean it. Her skin does seem a bit pale though, her body lithe and missing the plumpness it held before. The most one would notice is the black casing around Helle's left arm and the way her right eye seemed to hide a soft rusty glow underneath its splendid emerald color. All in all, though, nothing seems to be wrong, and that alone should help relieve the stress that entered the room.

The firm, confident tone in Helle's voice was certainly a welcome sound, and Ninsianna's expression brightened a bit at hearing it. Even if she didn't look her absolute best, Ninsianna felt as though the way she held herself was far more important than more transient concerns such as her physical state. That could easily be recovered in a short time.

"I certainly am, seeing you like this."

She didn't hesitate to take Helle's hand in hers, an almost apologetic look in her eye as she did so. After all, she knew such an action was probably colored by what she'd said that night. Was that a bad thing? Well, Ninsianna didn't know about that quite yet. She would leave that matter to Helle, whether she wished to address it or not.

"It is good to see you smile."

"Mmm..."

For a second, Helle paused. There was no major difference in her appearance, outside of her expression straining itself. Only a keen eye would catch the bare twitch of her lips. Despite being in a better state of being, the issues of her surroundings still remained. Nothing could hide her worry for it, not even the brightest smile.

The only thing that seemed strong enough to change her expression proved Ninsianna's hand. Helle almost seemed to refuse to acknowledge it, but it slowly cracked the blonde's defenses and left her somewhat somber. Of course, Helle would be a bit frailer around NInsianna of all people. It's easier to share your feelings with someone you've come to trust.

"There's a lot left to do, and I've been taking a rest for far too long. I feel different. It is hard to tell if better or worse, but I know that whatever I'm feeling doesn't matter right now, not with you here at least. Sad or happy, I feel like things will be alright."

Strong words, but Helle has given up trying to hide herself or make something more of herself for others. She just wants to be herself, even if herself is a bit sappy at times.

Some, Ninsianna imagined, would have hated to hear such an admission. They would have preferred to hear Helle say that she was happy now, that she had overcome all her grief and was now content. But Ninsianna knew such words could only ever have been shallow, meaningless. She would not have believed them, and so to hear Helle instead be forthright was infinitely more welcome.

"They certainly will be alright, Helle. And I have no intention of leaving your side."

That much, at least, was all too true. She and Helle had certainly grown close, and she had no intention of letting someone dear to her slip back into despair yet again. Ninsianna simply wouldn't allow that in her presence.

"The Vandenreich rests on our shoulders, and those underneath us hold us up sodden feet. Though we march through rivers of blood, sweat, and tears, it is us that must stand as a beacon. I've been sorry with my duties, a sad excuse of a Director really."

Helle's expression, mutual at first, hardened with each word from her mouth. The sadness behind her eyes seemed distant, replaced by a realistic rationalization of life. One could not call her a depressed woman anymore, her determination to be more than that burning beneath the surface. It doesn't matter if she is still tormenting by her failures because those issues will soon be drowned by victory. At least, that's what she believes must be her intended fate.

"Death has failed too many times to take me. I must get my revenge on him for even trying. The Sternritter have grown soft. We'll never be able to do anything with some major revisions."

A small, smug smirk on her face at her own cryptic joke, Helle tilting her head, eyes focused intently on Ninsianna. Thoughts running through her head, Helle couldn't help but focus on but one, her thoughts returning to a dreadful moment between the two. It would feel cheap to simply be the one to taunt the other about it.

Much as she might have liked to argue, Ninsianna could not in good conscience say that Helle was entirely wrong. The fact of the matter was that the Sternritter had been nearly without a director for some time now, and even if she sympathized with what had happened to Helle, it was still a reality that they had to accept.

"And what sort of revisions do you have in mind, hm?"

So, if they were to move forward, then it was only natural that Ninsianna do all in her power to assist in that. She wouldn't simply dredge up the past, speak on failings that had already been acknowledged. Far more important was to move forward, and doing such a thing without a plan was foolish.

"First, better training regimes. More drills on how to handle crises. We probably are going to need to find a way to better organize our divisions. Too many men were clueless on how to act when we were attacked."

She stopped, knowing she shouldn't push too much at the same time. This is a step-by-step procedure. However, before anything can be done, they must first work on the chain of command. Helle sits at the top, yet she is probably the weakest of her men. A time ago, that was not the case, but she must work with the reality of things today. Maybe seeing her, working to better her capabilities is exactly what her men needed to boost morale.

"Bwah. Work, work, and more work. As I've sat here, nothing better to occupy my mind, all I can think of is how to become a better person, not for myself but for others. Honestly, I am glad you are here. We could go back and forth all day on what to do about The City of Lights..., but I think I'd like a breather from mindboggling politics. With that said, how are you, Ninsianna? Inanna doing well?"

"Yes, I imagine that would all be good to put in place. I will begin looking into the logistics of our current crisis response plans and work on more streamlined processes."

Of course, she also didn't just want to talk about work. That wasn't the reason she'd come here in the first place, and as Helle mentioned Inanna, Ninsianna's expression grew a bit more cheerful, less weighed down by the gravity of the world around her at the moment.

"I'm well enough, and Inanna is doing quite well. Her friend Alex's parents are currently visiting the city, and she's very fond of them. I imagine she's likely out and about with them as we speak."

Parents? Quick successions of blinking followed suit, Helle's expression wracked with sudden nervousness. Inanna's friend, Alex? Yes. Helle knows of this girl from nothing more than Inanna's wishes for the two to meet. Then, follow that up with the youth's insistence for all four of them to get together and experience a playdate together. That leaves Helle with an issue. If things are what they are between the two women in this room, then does that mean she should also meet Alex's parents? Ah, but she hasn't even met Alex. She's not even sure if that's a requisite or relevant to the situation at hand!

"Oh? That is swell. I suppose my presence is wanted. I wouldn't want to miss Inanna's friend, nor her parents. I wonder what they're like. Would they like me? I'm a bit of a mess right now. My hair hasn't been combed in weeks. Do I like find Ninsianna? I wouldn't want to embarrass you or Inanna."

An obvious case of stage fright, Helle is stricken by the idea of having to be on her top behavior, but she's capable of putting on a smile and holding a pleasant conversation.