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The castle's hallway was a bit quieter at this hour, it seemed to be one of the lull point in the evening, just after many of the more nocturnal agents leave for the city, well before they come back with energy in hand, or...whatever else they sought to gather. Walking further down, Hestia glanced at closed doorways, and looking in on the abandoned ones, with their dusty boxes on simple desks, trying to commit each to the mental map she'd been expanding with every visit.

At some point, she would likely be expected to have some kind of office, but for now she rested comfortably upon her General King's assurance that it would awhile, before she expected to take up such responsibilities as fit her rank. In all honestly, she'd rather have a kitchen than an office. The one in the barracks was fine, but also shared. It was...limiting.

Pushing open another door, Hestia was startled to see soft, warm lights in the dark of the office. The fact that it was clearly not an abandoned room didn't immediately register. For a long moment she was, instead, transfixed by those lights, feeling a pull at her heart for her homeworld, and the fires that she'd promised to tend.

Startling, Hestia immediately realized both the situation and her complete rudeness. Flustered and flushing over her own intrusion, she gave a quick bow, "I'm Hestia, and I am so, so very sorry for barging in on you. I've been familiarizing myself with the castle, and thought this office was empty as well."

Lifting a hand, she lightly brushed at a small, threatening tear. The maid senshi hadn't been expecting the sudden bout of emotion, especially after a good week of not feeling too deeply at all. It was rather unfair, to spring up so unexpectedly and make her look bad in front of a stranger.

"Oh! Oh no, I'm just," she gave her cheeks a little pat, as if to brush off the emotions, "...I was reminded of my homeworld for a moment." She took in the eternal in front of her, and his chilly appearance. In contrast the office held warm light and a taste in furniture that a rich sense of comfort, a nice place to sink into. Perhaps the two should be at odds, but Hestia felt it was rather complimentary. A cozy cabin is all the more so for the snow outside.

Taking a seat, back straight and hands primly in her lap, Hestia answered with a nod, "I...well, I don't think of it as changing sides, really. But I did choose to change my relationship with the negaverse. To care for its members, rather than fight." She smiled up at him, "But it's different from how I expected. Did you also choose, sir?"

"I was lost within Order, lacking in a purpose that felt true to myself," Hestia admitted softly. "When my world provided an answer within its traditions, I didn't hesitate to take this path. I do care for those within Order, though." She found herself almost stubbornly maintaining this, that it was decision made out of malice, hatred, or anything negative. "Just not in a way that drives me to serve others, and in turn, it never cared enough to direct me as one who serves. And..." the was a hesitation, but possibly another corrupt may understand.

"It had been very hard, over the years, to stay my hand when presented with enemies belonging to something I feared. It may seem somewhat at odds, but I feel joining has been the kinder path."

So he'd been with the Negaverse for awhile, and also lacked that feeling of connectedness toward Order. Hestia wondered if it would always be like this, or if the White Moon would someday truly organize under its princes and princesses. Something she'd once vaguely hoped for, and now, perhaps a thing to be dreaded.

"I thought it would be a fairly hellish, to be honest. And I was ready to be hated. But instead it's active and supportive. General King Faustite has been kind rather than suspicious, and people have been accepting, even helpful."

Remembering Faustite, also reminded her of the thermos of tea and increasing cache of snacks she was now keeping in her space at all times. "Are there any types of snacks you like? Outside of familiarizing myself with the city and castle, I've mainly been cooking."

"Yes, memories were the primary way my world was able to guide and teach me after awakening. Hestia was always a world that served and cared for others." Her smile crooked, "But there is no serving both sides. The only thing to serve in Order is one's own sense of justice." And that was, in her opinion at least, a wonderful thing for most of its members. But not all. Her own sense of justice clashed with Hestian ideals, it was an impulsive, violent thing. And served nothing but her own satisfaction in the moment.

"Besides, I can't imagine that sort of neutrality would be indulged for long. Eventually I'll be commanded to harm those of Order, and I won't hesitate. But it won't be due dislike or a lack of caring." Her tone was solemn as she spoke of the hypothetical but unavoidable situation she'll face. It was something she'd simply had to accept prior to joining.

It was reassuring to hear that kind treatment was shared, and not some exception toward herself. Sometimes an exception was like a beautiful tablecloth, hiding something warped and stained just underneath.

As the other corrupt started talking about his preferred snacks, a small notepad and pen appeared in her hands. As Hestia wrote, a little wisp slipped out of her hair, weaving back and forth around her ponytail until it got bored and started to explore the office.

Looking up from her notes, she asked, "Do you have any allergies or food sensitivities....oh! I'm sorry, I never caught your name, sir."

Messages from his past self...she knew there was similar waiting for her in a storage unit. "Kioshi., Hestia tried out the name, sounding it without her perpetual formality of Misters and Sirs. Both were nice names, but the latter clearly had the comfortable tones of a civilian name. "Ah, my civilian name is Everlee. But I haven't really used it yet. Neither my old name or my new one feel quite real, at the moment."

The wisp strayed into her hands, and she began to absently try to pinch and stretch it like a piece of dough. The creature, enjoying the play, obligingly made itself seem to stretch thin and squish up along with her motions.

"If I may ask, how did you go about it? Building a new life? It seems harder, when it comes to the non-magical half of my life." There was a whole clear space for her to do whatever she wanted, but there were also no guiding foundation of teachers and adults bringing a youth up to that point.

"Wolframite sounds very kind," Hestia said, voice turning thoughtful. Having someone waiting for you was likely of great benefit in creating a foundation to transfer to or wholly rebuild a life around. She wondered if Borax would have helped in that way, had she decided to ask while she was preparing, rather than only seeking him out the moment she was ready to join the Negaverse. He probably would have helped her, much like he helped her now. Not with anything as simple as kindness, or without some hidden little viciousness, but she thinks he would have, all the same.

"I looked over the resume I submitted when joining, but nothing from it really called to me, not the way serving the people here does. There's a storage unit I left myself, but..." Hestia sighed, "...I'm not sure how much of my last life I want to bring into this one. Perhaps if there was something very cool, like tattooing, waiting for me," she gave him a genuinely impressed smile, "...I wouldn't be so hesitant. Do you...do you have any I could see?"

There was a certain kira-kira sparkle in her eyes at the question. She didn't have any tattoos herself, possibly out of some sort of appearance of propriety she'd had to maintain before. But they had always struck her as exceedingly cool in both design and also as symbols of someone's dedication to looking really, really cool. Forever.

Leaning closer, Hestia took in the floral sprawl of his arm and murmured, "It's lovely." It was bold and graceful, and while his immediate impression on her was definitely one of grace, it wasn't much for boldness. Rather there was a temperate confidence that quietly commanded both attention and respect.

The mention of his ear had here eyes darting toward them and a flush creeping up her cheeks nearly as bad as when she was made an impolite fool of herself in his doorway. Giving a little cough into her fist, she looked off to the side and admitted, "I...I thought those were just Negaverse extras."

Hestia had only been to that storage unit once, and it was a very quick visit, Captain Borax in tow. She'd owed him something within it but, despite trusting the man with what amounted to her soul, she still hadn't quite trusted him with everything else. Yet. Since then, there'd been an almost comfortable sort of peace growing between them. Even if, sometimes, she wanted to throw him into a wall.

"I'd....I'd like that quite a bit, thank you. It might be easier, with a more objective pair of eyes."