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Having finished with her post-feast errands for the day, Rīpeka is taking the time to sit and bask in the Tree's ambience. From a safe distance, of course, she doesn't want to accidentally leave her Nimbus on it. Right now, she's reading something on her phone, frowning slightly.
Zoya's just so knew that she didn't actually get an invitation to the feast, or know it was happening, for that matter. She's been here long enough to report in to the Epopt and her Councilor, and has been otherwise busy trying to do things like find a permanent place to stay, rather than a hotel room, or making a lot of art. Checking out the arboretum and seeing what the fuss is, though? High on the agenda. It's what brings her here now, with her sneakered feet scuffing the walkway behind Ripeka as she comes nearer to avoid sneaking up on someone by accident.
Rīpeka glances up from her phone at the scuffing, then over at Zoya, blinking when she doesn't recognise the other woman. "Hello there. Are you new in town?"
"Yep!" The blonde woman answers with a sudden smile, and she hurries over to offer a hand. "Zoya. I just got here a couple of days ago, from Russia." Which might explain the accent she has. It might be faint, but it's there. "I'm with the Guardians of the Veil, and an Obrimos." She might be a Guardian, but she also exudes a cheerful friendliness. "Are you old in town?"
"Of sorts? I've been here thirteen years now." Rīpeka rises, taking the offered hand. "Rīpeka, with the Children of the Tree. Also an Obrimos." She pauses, considering the other woman. "Do you mind if I ask what brings you all this way, or is that an Important Guardian Secret?"
"That's pretty old in town, if you ask me." Zoya laughs and shakes the taken hand. "Longer than I've stayed in any one place since I Awakened, in any case." She leans to look past Ripeka, toward the tree, then straightens again. "It's not really a secret, but there's more than one reason involved. As the story goes, first," she holds up a single finger. "My cadre's Farwalker just kind of walked really far and then never came back after they got here. Second," her next finger comes up, "my Lorekeeper decided this seemed like a good place to come squat and drink vodka, or whatever he's been up to" A third finger comes up. "Third, politics."
"Ah. Who are those two, then? I might know one or both, depending on how long they've been around." Rīpeka pauses for a moment. "Politics is often a good reason to leave anywhere, from what I've heard, but especially somewhere like Putin's Russia."
"Little Fox and.." Zoya has to stop herself. "Pavlichenko," she says instead of what she was going to say. "Since it might come up at some point, I should probably also mention that my Shadow Name is Pheme. You're quite right about politics and Russia, too. Especially for queer people, like me. And queer activists, like me."
"Oh, yes, I know Fox," Rīpeka nods. "I don't think I've met this Pavlichenko, though." Beat. "My Shadowname is Kotahitanga, for future reference." She considers the other woman for a moment. "Being a queer activist is much safer here, you'll no doubt be pleased to know."
Dressed in a cheap suit and slim black tie, Vasha steps out of the double doors leading to the consilium hall. He's bouncing a cigarette off the back of his hand, packing it down and seemingly on his way towards the exit to go and hammer another nail into his coffin. So single-minded is his need for a fix that he very nearly blows right past his own cadremate to get there. He backs himself up and squints at Pheme for a long and silent moment before opening his arms to her, "You made it! I have never been happier to see you in my entire life!"
"I mean... yes and no," Zoya starts saying to Ripeka, before she spots Vasha making his way through without seeming to even notice her. With every step her aura of 'are you kidding me right now, you oblivious gopnik' grows more dramatic, as she even looks at Ripeka and makes a gesture toward Vasha that seems to ask, 'can you believe this guy?' When he finally notices her she laughs and flings herself toward him, where she throws her arms around him in a fierce embrace. "You really are alive! Unless this is a very clever ruse. Should I scrutinize you to be sure? What if it's so good a ruse it even fooled you?"
"I take it this is Pavlichenko, then?" Rīpeka's pronunciation of the name probably isn't the best, but she's clearly trying, at least.
Vasha catches Zoya and spins her about like she's his long lost cousin, or similar. He is probably old enough to be her father if he got an early start on it, truthfully. But the fondness is very obvious familial in nature. He breaks the hug and puts her out to arm's length, looking her over with wonder and pride before taking her head in both hands by the neck and delivering two firm kisses on either of her cheeks, then cupping them again. "I was so worried. I am... so relieved." He laughs at himself, then finally turns towards Ripeka and offers his hand to her. "Forgive me. Yes. I am Pavlichenko. Guardian on the Path to Arcadia and so forth."
If Zoya minds the way that Vasha moves her around and delivers his own variety of affection, she hides it well. For the most part she just seems happy to see him, and she laughs when he fusses over her so much. "You were worried," she says, followed by another laugh. "You were worried. You were worried. Vasha, you goon, I put up a new video a couple of times a week. Making sure someone didn't black bag me isn't that hard if you have an internet connection. How do you think I felt, wondering about you?"
She rolls her eyes near out of her head as her attention returns to Ripeka. "He wishes he was as much of a fucking badass as Pavlichenko. We'll call the name an aspirational one."
"Kotahitanga, Scion on the Path to the Aether, and cetera, and cetera." Rīpeka takes the offered hand, shaking it firmly but not overdoing it. "Rīpeka, when in public." She glances at Zoya, clearly taking a moment to work out the reference. "Oh, for the sniper? She was impressive, yes."
"That is true. I don't have 309 confirmed kills. Very much aspirational." Vasha grins broadly back at Zoya, folding his arms up before himself with a heavy and satisfied sigh. "Well. You will be happy to know we got the Pylon. And once I made up my mind not to return to St. Petersburg, getting out of Ukraine to Vienna was a simple matter. And once I was in Vienna, getting to Britain was a formality. From there to New York City by boat. I regret very much having worried you. I could no longer do what they wanted from me. It was too much." Vasha then explains for Ripeka's benefit, "My cover for being a spy was being a spy. Clever, I know. But Russia frowns on its agents going rogue. Caused a bit of a stir. Scion. Forgive me, I am new. That is the... the Children of the Tree, yes?" Vasha gestures to the tree indicatively. "Little Fox only covered the very basics with me. Of your Order, I mean."
"Worry is pretty much my default mode," Zoya points out to Vasha. "When you're out of touch for long periods of time it's hard not to fear the worst, but it's not like that hasn't been life for most of the time we've known each other, right? Everyone worrying about everyone all the time! We all live dangerous lives." She laughs. "I can't believe I know more about the Children of the Tree than you do, and I just landed a couple of days ago. Oh, that reminds me. Apparently I couldn't be in the city for two whole hours before Fox roped me into helping save the world."
"It is, yes. Are you interested in becoming one?" Rīpeka asks Vasha curiously, before glancing at Zoya. "She did? What kind of world-saving does she need help with?"
"If you'd caught me many years ago then maybe the answer would be other than no. But no. I am afraid the Guardians hold my chit. I ask because I am a visitor to your country and your consilium and I have lived a relatively sheltered life, primarily in the most beautiful city in Russia. Pampered in government service." By certain standards of pampered, in any case. "I am ignorant of your practices and beliefs. And everyone has made certain to point out that's what caused all of this." Vasha gestures to the tree, "And that ignorance is forgiven here. But willful ignorance is not. So. If there any resources about where I can learn more, I'd be happy for them." Vasha then asides to Zoya, "I was busy bringing a source in from the cold, okay? Also Fox isn't interested in long discussions of metaphysics with me." He see-saws his head in an almost bashful suggestion that what she is interested in isn't fit for polite discourse.
"Someone wants me to help them with a mural," Zoya explains, as if that explains anything at all. "Urgently. Landing in a new country and being asked to help with an art project is like a dream come true. I was half convinced jet lag was fucking with my head. When I'm done here I'm going to get back to that, but I needed a break." She nods along to a lot of what Vasily says about the Children of the Tree. "I'm not interested in changing orders either, but I am interested in learning. I'd be happy to hear about your philosophy as an order some time."
Rīpeka blinks once. "Helping with a mural is saving the world? Truly?" She pauses for a moment, shaking her head. "I'm not actually with the consilium, the Children are independent of it, but I can answer any questions about us you might have, or help find somebody who can. The responsibility of the nation is to teach, after all."
"Your order caucuses with the Libertine Assembly, too, yes? We didn't have too awful many of those in St. Petersburg, either. I may have some studying to do, indeed." Vasha makes a small gesture with his hand, dismissive of his own curiosity. "I think that on another occasion that might be pleasant. But I would feel terribly awkward pelting you with questions at a first meeting. Perhaps when we have a cadre house established and our protocols are better underscored you could be our guest for dinner and we can discuss these things. I for one would treasure that feeling of ... being normal again. Having a home and a family and a place." He gives a fond look over to Zoya as he says all of this. "Is this about her friend among the fair folk?"
"That's the rumor!" Zoya laughs delightedly. Will it save the world? Won't it? Does it matter? "Oh, Vasha. I bought a place. I should give you and Fox the tour, once it's actually fit for habitation. Maybe before then. If we want to make a Sanctum of it, we'll make a Sanctum of it. If we don't, we'll find somewhere else and I'll make personal use of it. I just got sick to death of living in hotels after the first couple of months in St. Petersburg." Where she lived in a high end hotel the whole time because she never got around to finding a proper place to live.
"Say rather that they caucus with us, strictly speaking." Rīpeka shrugs slightly. "If you would have me as a guest, I would be more than honoured to get to know Fox's cadremates better. Having a place to call home can be invaluable, when in a strange land."
"Oh, true. You predate them by... goodness. A century or more? Ha! Outstanding." Vasha asides to Ripeka as though sharing a deep secret, "The Free Council I knew in Russia were not... enh. The smartest people. I will say that. Not very impressed with them back home. But Russia and St. Petersburg especially was something of a world unto itself. Learning all the cultural differences has been taxing on me, I don't mind saying. And the idioms! English idioms are so strange to me." He then gives Zoya a gentle nudge with his elbow. "If you want me crashing on your couch just say the word. Krasnaya has me sleeping next to a river. In bushes. Not a bad idea at the time, all things considered. But my back belongs to a man twice my age after sleeping in ditches in Donbas for so long."
"I hope you don't let them forget it, either. The punks," Zoya doesn't say seriously, but she does say it. "I'm sure there are Free Council folx who won't make me grit my teeth somewhere, though. Hopefully that place is here." For Ripeka's benefit she does explain, "they actually tried really hard to recruit me, you know. I'm an Obrimos who's into computers and technology and all of that, right up their alley, right? Come be a Transhuman Engineer! But it wasn't for me." When Vasha nudges her with his elbow she attempts to parry and then nudges back. Harder, in riposte. Like she's fencing him with her elbow. "You can crash on my couch if you take a shower every day," she says. "And clean up your vodka bottles. And don't smoke inside, unless you've learned enough Matter to make it stop smelling like cigarettes."
"I've never been to St. Petersburg, but moving here was still a learning experience, for all that the people nominally speak my native language." Rīpeka shrugs again. "Dialect can be a strange thing, though."
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