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XOCHI'S HOME - AFTERNOON
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Xochi sits upon her coils in the garden, working to prune the flowers back. Since her 'departure' and subsequent return, she has been working hard to weed and restore the flower garden bit by bit, taking joy and some pride in the simple act. It is a bit of a humble reminder to her, that she had already found what she was looking for in Respite, and now, she is simply enjoying the sunshine while she works.
Leana slithers towards the house she has been directed towards, unsure what she is going to find out if anything but since something dragged her to Respite, it would be nice to know what said something is. She pauses at the fence, staring at the coatl with admittedly rather familiar-looking patterns at places...
Xochi glances up from her work, spotting Leana at the fence. She sets her gardening tools down and waves, calling out as she begins to uncoil herself, "Greetings! I shall guess that you are seeking me, yes?"
Leana blinks and hesitates, but then nods: "I ah... yes, I am. Nesseth who I believe you know, gave me directions." She gives half of a formal bow, slightly spreading her wings: "I am Leana."
Xochi chuckles, slithering towards the gate to open it for Leana, although with either of their wings it would be wholly unnecessary, "He told me you might come by, yes. But please, I don't know what else he told you, but any formality is completely unnecessary. I am Xochi. That is all I go by."
Leana nods with a smile: "Still, I prefer to be polite, but thank you." She slithers closer, taking in Xochi's looks: "You definitely look familiar..."
Xochi bows in turn as Leana draws close, "Then I return the formalities, thank you." She rises back up, folding her hands in front of her, "I do, do I? I suppose you are family with Captain Louma, so perhaps seeing those akin to coatls is not so uncommon?"
Leana smiles: "Well, there is that..." She spreads one of her wings: "But also, not that long ago, my feathers were all black." She gives Xochi a look. "I believe we have something to talk about."
Xochi studies the feathers, nodding. She lifts her own wings in response, comparing. "Ahh, so there may be. Please, come in, we can go inside to rest from the sun. I haven't much, but I grow my own tea leaves if that interests you?"
Leana smiles, nodding: "I would like tea if you are offering, yes."
Xochi leads Leana through the garden into the back door to her modest home. It is mostly furnished as one would expect of an Orelan snake, though a few pieces of sitting furniture have been added for the comfort of friends. There is only mats in the kitchen, and Xochi leads Leana here as she begins to prep some tea for the two of them. "My understanding is that you had a long journey to come here, yes? One not entirely desired?"
Leana settles down as she also gathers her thoughts: "In a manner of speaking... yes. While I come originally from Orela, I have spent last several years in Sarn. Then... one morning I woke up with this crest of colorful feathers, and an overwhelming desire to come down here, to Respite Falls."
Xochi tilts her head at that part, humming. "Overwhelming desire, you say? I wonder why that would be? Nesseth has his theories which he may have shared with you... I'm more interested in your thoughts on this matter, though. For... personal curiosity, perhaps?"
Leana looks aside: "I would not really describe it as such. Like, this strong voice in the back of your mind, that pushes you forward and will not leave you be until you do something about it?" She shrugs and looks back up: "A sort of need to be in here, despite me not even having heard the name of this town before it. Almost like someone else invaded my personal brainspace."
Xochi frowns, pouring the tea for Leana. "Ahh... that does not sound at all pleasant... I had thought, physical changes and perhaps... but you say there seems to be an actual 'presence'? That sounds a rather ill-omen to me."
Leana waves a hand: "Not like, a presence I could point to, just a set of... feelings and desires and thoughts I can't quite point out to being my own." She frowns: "I did hear about a coatl princess, er, 'issue' of sorts ending in a ritual, apparently happening around when I started to have this?"
Xochi sighs, coming to rest at the table and lifting her own tea cup up. "That 'coatl princess' was me... or... once was. It is... complicated, and very much my fault, one way or another. I am no Princess, this much is certain. I came here to disappear, and to live my own life, but I still found I had so much sadness and regret. A friend offered to help with a ritual, and like a fool, I accepted without considering the consequences of such a ritual..." She hums, lowering her gaze. "Nesseth and Louma said I remained here, but was different... a younger version of myself with none of those ill memories."
Leana frowns slightly again: "...and a desire to fly a lot, I suspect." She sighs as she tries to process this: "So... in getting you you back, this other you was... gone, and I guess some part of her is just... me, now." She lifts a hand to her head.
Xochi hums wistfully, "A desire to fly... when I came here, I could not fly. My wings were too weak, I was never allowed to learn or practice... but this other me, she had just come of age to fly." She lowers her eyes to her tea, "That critical moment of regret in my life was the day I was forbidden to fly. I thought on it a great deal... when I awoke from that ritual, months had passed... and my wings had healed. So I had assumed whatever was part of that 'other' me... was back within me."
Leana sighs, then just shrugs: "It makes as much sense as any other explanation so far." She takes a sip of the tea, her hands shaking slightly: "So, uh... here I am, I guess."
Xochi sighs, but manages a smile at Leana. "Here you are... yes... so, the question is, what shall you do here? I must admit, I feel somewhat ashamed that my actions might have pushed you here. If there is anything I can do to aid you, please do not hesitate to ask."
Leana looks down for a moment, then smiles: "Well, for right now right now... just tea company would help. I guess getting to know you would also help me know what I've found myself into, as much as any of this paints a coherent picture."
Xochi sips her tea, "I am always open to a new friend, if you wish, and I always have tea on hand. What do you wish to know?"
Leana hums: "Well, you mentioned the wings, but... aside from the twisted knowledge I have from my own family about the war, I do not actually know all that much about the whole... history, I guess, of where you come from."
Xochi: "I can tell you as best as I know it, yes... I do not know the stories of the war, only what happened to me afterwards."
Leana leans slightly onto her coils: "I am more interested about you, I guess. Since in some sense, I have some of that in me. I would like to understand..." She shakes her head: "This so very much makes no sense, but I have to try."