Figahl Icecaps, Northgand
Morning
Blizzard
"The snow isn't letting up."
"Are you cold?"
More screen time for the eternal duo of Velvet and Rokurou. All things considered, yes, including Rokurou "mysteriously passing out" and Velvet's literal "shin dig" courtesy of a certain mischievous traveler, they seem to be doing well both mind and body. Well, maybe not "mind", considering the skimpily dressed Ms. Demon asked if her partner (meat shield) was cold out here. That's twice the evidence that Velvet was not born in the cold or never saw snow.
"I was OUT cold, but I'm fine with this kind of cold. I am clothed but I can't say the same for you."
Ow... Ouch. That was... Actually, it's hard to tell if that was a low blow. Could be taken as a compliment if he was the flirtatious type. No, no... He'd just be a pervert.
"Doesn't bother me, but what does are your curious eyes. You better watch where they wander."
The last part of the sentence sounded almost like a growl. She hath spoken through clenched teeth. Her canines were looking just as dangerous as her demonic arm right about now. And that tone? That growl? Geez, whatever happened to subtle dominance? Nowadays it's just people flaunting their powers and weapons while the people in the back who knew better just laughed at them. Velvet? Clearly she's done work on the art of subtle dominance.
"Whoa, sorry about that. I meant no offense. Though it seems to me that you still retain feelings such as shame."
"Do you?"
"No, not me. I lost a lot of what made me human. Figured that was obvious and par for the course when it came to transforming into a demon."
"That's...interesting. I didn't know that."
"Nevertheless, I'm probably still the same person inside. I still like weapons, fighting, and a good drink!"
"Huh... That's very "you"."
He's made peace with the fact that he was turning into a demon and along the way, lost most of human emotions. From start to finish, at least from Velvet's side of things, Rokurou always displayed optimism, so it's likely that he's found his silver linings a long time. Good on him. In this age of "reason", there's no better time than now to display that optimism.
And it was back to long walks in the snow, the sounds of crunching with every step, sometimes rhythmically, sometimes chaotically. They were, after all, trying to avoid the patrolling exorcists along their destination to Beardsley, a hamlet near Hellawes. This meant avoiding monsters and fighting as well. Good thing the consequences of demons and exorcists fighting it out in the snow was kicking the white stuff into the air. Like a... mini-whiteout.
All this sneaking around is great and all, but it doesn't hurt to take a moment and inspect some flowers growing amidst these terrible conditions.
"Now that's a tough flower, being able to survive in these cold lands."
"Those would be Princessias..."
"Elegant name for something growing out here. I would expect a flower named like that to grow under sunshine and rainbows."
"My sister loved them..."
Velvet squatted down to better observe the Princessias. Rokurou wasn't able to see her face, but it was there. A mix of sadness and nostalgia and maybe even a bit of contempt. If her sister loved them enough so that Velvet would remember the name of this flower amongst thousands of other flowers would suggest she would be quite fond with them as well. But all she did was look on, not even making an effort to reach out and caress the flowers that are struggling to survive here. Let's try delving into her mind.
"Look."
***** of red robes. A quiet one. She of red robes, surprised.
"Hm? Stay with-
"Look."
***** of red robes, that's twice ***** must sing.
"She knows of a better place. Do you not want to see them?"
Nay. ***** of red robes stays in place. Kneeling on the ground, a wistful look no doubt. No doubt, even if their faces were... largely expressionless.
"Go on. I want to stay. Everything is beautiful."
Not even an inch of movement. Difficult. What to do, what to do... Ah, maybe if her family, including herself was there to present whatever it was they wanted to present, the effect would be greater. Maybe even enough to overwhelm the consequences of her actions.
And so the scarves detach.
Um... Wrong mind?
No, that was right. This "thing" still works even now?
You mean... What he did at the inn... It actually worked?
You'll see. In three, two, one...
...
*Thud*
One down, one to go. Velvet, was that the wrong memory? Was it so peaceful of a memory that her eyes slowly drooped shut? Involuntarily, might we add? Though, that was the least strange part. It was her tears. They burned. Did she even know that? It was cold, yes, so her drifting off to sleep could be understandable, but the tears were a different story. They freely fell across an unchanging face before finally meeting the snow.
"Velvet?! Hang on, we need to get to the place they said we needed to go!"
It took this long for Rokurou to act. I wouldn't fault him. No one would've expected that grass watching would debilitate someone this much to the point of sudden unconsciousness. It takes a special kind of person to watch nature's machinations without becoming bored after all.
And now, Velvet pays the price for Rokurou's brief inaction, her body becoming indistinguishable from other snow-covered objects. She would be dead by now with all that snow on her, Rokurou, if she was a normal person.
Speaking of...
"And where on earth did all this snow come from?! It was manageable seconds ago, but this-?!"
Save your breath. The blizzard's increasing ferocity was enough to drown out all other noises, including his voice. Whatever he was about to say was obviously not important in their eyes. Just get a move on before both of you die off.
The best they could do to implement forms of imprisonment in such a sleepy and obscure town was to place it under the church. Aside from proper jail cells, everything else was haphazard, which suggests the church's lower areas weren't originally meant to hold prisoners. Maybe it was once a storage? At best, there were about 10 cells, the Abbey not expecting a town like Hellawes to get too rowdy with criminals. And surprisingly, despite the strict nature of Teresa, not a soul visited the "holding cells" in quite a while. Now that's change with its most recent visitors Hyoma and Magilou, placed opposite of each other and giving them a clear picture of the other's condition.
"Hey."
The voice was Magilou's. It was a voice cleared of all add-ons. None of her quirks were in it. Her back was laid flat on the bed, arms resting on her belly, hat by her side.
No response. All right... Let's try this again, Magilou...
"Hey..."
…
Nothing. All right... Let's actually try looking at him, Magilou...
And there he was, sitting on his bed and reading his journal. Hyoma would be no different anywhere else. Given the free time, he'd likely just read his journal. Like Magilou, not an ounce of concern was on his face. It was like jail time for these two was routine.
Let's try something else.
"We'll be stuck here for 30 days you know? And I'll be your cell buddy the whole time!~ So you might as well talk and keep me busy."
…
…
...
Could it be...? My voice is no longer unique enough to be given all the attention it demands?! No, no, that's blasphemy! A crime equal to treason in weight! Calm down... Why is he so quiet all of a sudden...? Let me see, let me see...
Ahhh...
Right there. Buried beneath his hair are his ears. And buried into the ears, are earplugs. Black in color, are you serious?! How was I supposed to see those?! Wait, wait, wait... Is that a smile on his face? It wasn't there a few seconds earlier. No way... Is he... Is he laughing at me?!
"Did you need something?"
He' not even looking at me! And his smile was still there! At least be subtle when you're trying to mock someone! Did you set those earplugs up knowing I'd be a chatter box?! Geez, geez...!
"I don't know. Maybe I do, maybe I don't."
And so I crossed my arms and turned my head to the side. I didn't want to see him! How's this for "subtlety"!? See, see?! See how much I hate you right now?!
"Hmph!"
"Oookaay...~ I'll be going back to my own world now."
That wasn't the response I was expecting! Now he's contesting my subtlety with his subtlety! I had to open my eyes and turn to face him to see his next course of actions and sure enough, he was getting ready to put on those treacherous earplugs! Earplugs should be banned if I'm around! That's it, I'll be passing that law once I become empress of this uncultured wasteland!
"No wait! Come oooon... Small talk, Hyoma. Small talk! I'll die of boredom if you keep this up. Do you want that? Do you want me to die and leave a rotting corpse behind? Then you'd still be stuck here, forced to smell the stench of death. Do. You. Want. That?
"…"
Did I convince him?
"I just remembered something."
Hyoma was digging through all of his pockets. If he was doing that much digging, there was probably tons of stuff hidden in them. Buuuut... What was he looking for, exactly? Well I got my answer in a few seconds time.
"I never thought this would be put to use.~"
It was a clothespin. A clothespin! Why did he even have that?! How many things does he have in him that fit every situation?! A clothespin of all things!
"It can hang clothes, it can substitute paperclips, and it can even be used to cover your nose. Do you realize it now? How worthless you are compared to a clothespin?~"
Defeated... That word fits so perfectly for me at this very moment... I could quite literally feel the word "defeated" all over my body. Scary, though...! His voice...! It went from teasing to arrogance so fast! Did HE even notice it? The fact that his sadistic tendendcies are spilling?!
My back landed on the bed, my limbs splayed out as if I was soaking in the sun, if I was actually outside anyway... Is this how people feel when they talk to me? No, it's different. It has to be. I'm not moving from this position! It's too comfy! So I'll cut straight to the point!
"You. Got. Lucky."
"Hm?"
"Not only did Oscar turned to your side and faced only your side upon entering the church, he didn't recognize me at all. Granted, I had my hat off."
"Ok?"
Magilou's voice remained consistent, yet again without her unique quirks inserted in them. Hyoma kept his eyes on his journal. It would take little effort to put Magilou directly in his sights with just a small adjustment looking up, and considering the conversation she started, why didn't he look at her? Maybe it was the poor lighting. The torches were the only sources of light and they were few in number. It wasn't exactly a good place to do some reading but if one insists, they need merely focus hard enough so they don't lose sight of where they were at.
"Then that cough? To get his attention even for just a few moments? All so he would proceed once more with nary a gaze on my side?"
"…"
"You got me to drop my hat, worked your subtleties, all to keep my fate from intertwining with Oscar's. And thus, your success meant a lighter sentence."
"Sounds to me like you got lucky, not me."
"Hehe... No, it was you who got lucky. Luck was with you the whole time and because of luck, Oscar looked your way, I managed to pick up your cues so I could drop my hat, and an insignificant cough that miraculously caught Oscar's attention."
"Hm..."
"For me, there was no contact with luck. Whether I was fated to lose my head or receive a slap on the wrist mattered not to me."
"Oh."
"Nevertheless, you still saved me."
For just a second, Magilou averted her eyes from the ceiling to steal a glance from Hyoma. He has yet to remove his own eyes from the journal. It would take more than an analytical deconstruction of Hyoma's recent actions to spark some life in him. Or so one would believe until Hyoma's own eyes shifted to meet Magilou's just before she retreated to her ceiling stare. What would normally be a big smile on his face turned out to be small.
"Yes, I did save you, but that wasn't all. I wanted to see how forgettable you are in the eyes of others and it looks like you're pretty forgettable without your bizarre hat.~"
"Hey!"
"Ahaha~ Kidding, of course. It was just Oscar's trauma that helped forget the important details. Don't worry. I don't think anyone would forget what you are."
"Ha ha, good one."
A dry, sarcastic, unamused tone on her voice.
"If you must know... Hmm... I guess I just wanted to see Teresa's reaction. All this talk about reason above emotion and all else... I wanted to see if the ones advocating that belief actually follow them."
"Didn't seem like it, is your answer?"
"Nope. For an ice-themed lady, she was boiling inside.~ Buuuut... She was forced to put on a mask in front of fellow Abbey members and never gave in to emotion. And if she lost her mask and gave me a heavier sentence, it would suggest personal vendetta and such things are often fueled by emotion."
"Like Velvet, right?"
"Like Velvet. Though if she did give in to emotion, even better for me!~ I get to watch her demotion.~ I wouldn't give up the chance to watch that happening, even if it meant I'd be running around headless the next day.~
Hyoma said all of that with a smile. What was once a small, tired smile, grew increasingly larger as he spoke, clearly enjoying the conversation. His journal had been closed since the start of the meat of the conversation, spinning between his hands.
"Hahaha...!~ You really are something else. You did all of that not to save our hides, but to watch someone else skewer their own hides."
"Right."
"But what would you have done had Oscar recognize me? It would've jeopardized both of us."
"Hm..." Hyoma rubbed his chin with his index finger, looking up at the ceiling for an answer that was already there, then continued to spin his journal. "I guess that's that then?"
"Huh?!" So surprised was she that she went to sit up and face Hyoma clearly for once. "Have you no faith in yourself?"
"Faith? Why would I need faith?" Hyoma's head tilted in a questioning manner. Though it wasn't the most dramatic nor dynamic of head tilts, his head moved slow enough that it almost felt creepy. "If I had faith, it meant I would favor one conclusion over the other. That simply wasn't true, at least this time around. I didn't care if Oscar recognized us nor do I care if we were publicly executed. Whatever conclusion we arrived at, I'd be smiling all the way.~"
"The same smile you're wearing right now?"
"Yep!~"
"See? Isn't it beautiful?"
So the red robe says. It was pretty, but ***** wasn't looking. She should've known this. A pointless endeavor, really, trying to showcase beauty to someone who isn't looking.
"I wanted to stay longer. I wish you could understand."
***** of red. Are you, perhaps, angry?
"You can always turn back."
…
"Somehow... Your name... isn't so beautiful anymore."
"...!?"
"I didn't...
"...so with your tail between your legs, you came back here..."
"...That cave will turn anyone into cowards. I'm not the only one..."
"...Hadlow Hollows, was it..."
"...mean to..."
"...Well that was our original destination. Until you came along..."
"...Come back... *****…
"By the way, your friend is crying."
"Ngh..."
"Velvet!"
Whisked away from the nightmarish white and into the comforts of orange. There was no better time than now for that gentle flame. Situated around that fire was Rokurou, a lying Velvet, and a lizard. Gone were the snow shrouding Velvet in innocent white colors. Had she stayed that way though, it might have made her look less like a demon and more like a bride. Was that really such a bad thing?
Slowly, she got up. She was a demon immune to the cold, but not the effects. Before she even had a grasp of the grand scope of her revenge, she had almost died back there. Rokurou needn't say a word. Just from her extremely sluggish movements alone, Velvet knew she had almost bit the dust.
"I'm alright." So she says while clutching her head with enough strength to crush skull. "Just... not so loud..."
"Sorry. But you really had me worried back there." Worried to the point of inaction. Had he been minutes late, well... Let's not go there. Not yet, anyway. "I never thought you would just... pass out like that."
Her fingers were white. A clear sign of frostbite. More evidence of her near-death experience. It's a fact that Velvet never experienced cold weather, but she knew that fingers turning a ghostly white wasn't healthy, and if it was caused by the cold, then it should make sense to douse her hands in the fire.
"I didn't know what came over me, either. Now I know it's possible to hate those flowers even more than I do now."
Still, she was capable of indignation, her eyes narrowing, the fire in front of her, the unfortunate victim of her glare. Luckily, it wasn't the subject of her contempt for she stared right through it.
"I won't ask you to reveal yourself to me, but next time, try to tell me what causes you enough damage that you'd just fall flat on your face."
"Not a chance."
…
"Your loss."
Velvet didn't move an inch. She kept her gaze firm on the fire. If she wasn't careful, her eyes would go obsolete too. But regardless, she knew of another presence. She didn't need eyes or ears for this. Even in her sleep, she could detect demons. Really, of any presence. That's what years of being in the worst prison of all, treated as the worst prisoner of all, will do to you.
"So, what's he doing here?"
Of course, the previous facts just stated wasn't known to Rokurou. To him, she was just another ordinary prisoner treated like all the others. But Velvet's perception, even with her sudden exhaustion, could change his view of her.
"About time you noticed me." A gruff voice out of a green lizard. I was expecting more of a... hiss or... Hm... Never mind. He is wearing clothes after all. "I was going to scare you, but-"
"If you did, your tail would be gone."
"Y-Yea. That. I heard enough from your friend, if a femme fatale like yourself can even call him that."
Sigh... Close, so very close. A little more and Velvet would have enough to justify spitroasting Rokurou. A small fire would work. Like the one they were all huddled around. Yes, a small fire. Not enough to kill him quickly. She'd make sure endless pain would come before the end.
"I hope you know, Rokurou, that divulging information about your allies, no matter who they are, is a serious offense."
It's a surprise she wasn't saying all of this with her hands around his neck. No one would blame her. So instead, she opt to keep her body completely still. A scary thing, indeed. There was a ferocious undertone, but no sign that she would physically lash out. When would it happen? Such a thought was enough to keep Rokurou on his toes, even if they were "allies".
"Understand?"
"Y-Yes ma'am."
"So then, the situation?"
"R-Right."
Beardsley, Northgand
Afternoon
Cloudy
As it turns out, this tiny hamlet, Beardsley they called it, is a good place to dump exiles. And with the Abbey so intent on order to the point of strangulation, the only obvious outcome was a town steadily increasing in number. But given the circumstances, with the weather and all, they're doing pretty good for themselves. They have livestock, a bit of farming here and there, existent markets, giant gates, and an ideal location for defense. Demons hardly invade the place. Unless they were the flying type.
The Abbey don't seem too interested in invading either. At least, not to the extent of brutality. There was no need to overextend their manpower to places where resistance is nonexistent. Their mere presence was enough to keep the place in line, or so they believe. Not that there was a reason to believe otherwise. They were THAT mighty.
For a town of banished criminals, it wasn't SO bad.
Then came Dyle. The wanted lizard demon Velvet and Rokurou were after. Originally, he was hiding out in a cave they call Hadlow Hollows before scurrying home. If it wasn't for the fact that he was a demon, he'd probably be welcomed. This was his place after all. His family was still here. But he was a demon. And he wasn't welcomed. But he wasn't shunned out completely, else he wouldn't be here, sitting near a gentle flame without an ounce of anxiety. It helped that Beardsley was already a town of outcasts, so what's the harm in housing one more oddball?
Now for the million-dollar question.
"So... Why'd you come back here?"
"Hm..."
Humans are an easy read. Body gestures, facial expressions. These are good indicators of a person's mood. But you can't exactly transfer that knowledge towards reading animal expressions. If the lizard was showing fear, he wasn't showing it well. The teeth are making it hard for that. But his previous actions, to run from a safe isolation and into a human village, are no doubt influenced by fear.
"Rokurou did say you were both in prison. Unusual occurrences might not have reached your ears yet."
"Just spit it out."
Such impatience...
"I was staying in that cave a few days ago until something strange happened."
And there it was. That shaking.
"A horde of demons surrounded by a ghastly mist traversed the cave. I say "demons" with reluctance because I didn't feel like I belonged there."
"If they're not demons, then what were they?"
A lengthy pause. Had it been so traumatic that he could barely recall correctly?
"Let's just say that they weren't acting like demons. Now, I know not all demons are a rowdy bunch. I can tell you two are demons, but hardly look the part. But there must've been hundreds of them. And a group of demons don't exactly stay civil for long, especially not when a human town like Hellawes was nearby.
"A cult, maybe?"
"Similar enough. They were in line, all seemingly in a trance, like they were doing a ritual. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have noticed me even if I made myself seen. But I still wouldn't take that chance of being discovered."
"Hm..." Velvet's hands have long since recovered their color and found their way to her chin in mock thinking. "If this was a few days ago and if it was a ritual, it's probably over by now."
"Still, it couldn't hurt to look. They might have left something."
You sure this isn't an excuse to cut up more stuff, Samurai?
"Haven't you forgotten already? We came here to solve our ship problem, not go on a field trip."
"Yea, but Dyle is here now. Are you going to kill him now right after all this?"
"Whoa, whoa. That's why you came here?!"
There it is. That very human-like expression of withdrawal and pacifism. Sort of. Those suspended arms connected to open hands. Spread out like two, shameless white flags. But a heartless, single-minded and stubborn demon wasn't going to be stopped by pacifistic gestures. She stood up slowly, unsheathed her blade, and her eyes latched on to the lizard. There was no need for ferocity. Dyle would go down without a fight. She was sure of it.
"Killing a man in his own home? Never thought you'd go that far, Velvet."
"Huh?"
Well that stopped her quick. What happened to "heartless"?
"He didn't patch you up, not with those "hands" of his, but he did provide everything else."
Rokurou had laid his hand on her shoulder. No blood would be shed today. Not amongst demons.
"And why would YOU do that?"
Her attention, once again on Dyle, though with confusion, not with contempt. A life would be spared today. But her blade has yet to be withdrawn, so perhaps that could change and with Velvet's volatile nature, that change could be instant.
~ Persona 5 - Disquiet~
"Because you two are the perfect allies for raiding Hellawes."
…
…
"And why, exactly, do you think we'll help? You think we're running a charity here?"
"Of course not. Which is why I said you two are perfect allies. Our goals align."
Now that got her interested. What could possibly benefit her from raiding a town full of exorcists and led by a praetor?
"It's not so complex. We raid Hellawes as per my revenge and during the chaos, we steal a ship."
"Revenge...?"
Rokurou, you want to chime in on this? Her attention is on you now, after all. Makes sense considering you are the least surprised by this turn of events.
"It's not a long story. Dyle here was framed for the shipping guild's smuggling crimes."
"Not only do I get a chance to kill them, but I can also steal their ship as a final humiliation."
This was a good opportunity. At the very least, it got Velvet thinking towards the possibility. The reward... the reward... Then there was the risk.
"And how exactly do you intend to do this?"
"Hey."
"Hm?"
After their last conversation, things returned to their previous state. Things that were obscure amidst their voices reintroduced themselves, from the drops of water to the muffled footsteps outside in the snow, be it animal or human. Hyoma, too, returned to nostalgia via journal.
"When we were greeted with the tragedy at sea, you stayed on the ship. You called that thing an "Epitaph". Familiar with it?"
"An Epitaph? I thought it was a whale."
"Oh come on." She said with an air of obvious disbelief, emphasizing the letter "C" to provide sharpness. "Only a day has passed and we already know each other's masks."
"Really? That's news to me."
"You know I put on this fake trickster mask and I know you hide things with your smile. That's why I'm not talking like I normally would with others. There's no point with you."
"But I genuinely like smiling."
It was too comical at this point. Hyoma spoke 3 lines, each clearly not making an effort to lie effectively and worse, they were monotonous in tone.
"Why do I get this feeling of being replaced...? Normally it's my job as the trickster to instill confusion and yet confusion has found its way within me."
You already know it's true, Hyoma... You know already... The voice you're so familiar with... You can see past that. I don't have to put in so much energy maintaining my masks. Knowing that... It's addicting... But... by the gods... I can't even break out of it. The masks... They're embedded in me.
...
Hyoma closed his journal and lied on his bed in the same position Magilou was in. It was his turn to enjoy the comforts the laziest form of gesture offers. Plus... It's been a long day, even if it has only been for a few hours, likely still morning. Hyoma couldn't tell if it was. No windows.
"I'm going to sleep."
"Hey!"
"I'm kidding. But I'm just as lost as you are. Really, the best I can tell you is that they aren't demons."
Hyoma kept his eyes shut. When it came to a barrage of questions, closing his eyes often helped find the answers in the black void, free of distraction and outside influence. And it's not like there was anything of interest in the church's dark side. It was just your typical makeshift dungeon.
"Really? The best you can tell me?"
"Well... You seem to know a lot more than you're letting on, so the fact that even you question those... things... means this world hasn't been touched by them."
"Whoa! Slow down there, kiddo." That's the second time Magilou was given enough shock to sit up on her bed again. "Is this where you give a massive exposition dump? Because you basically revealed that neither you nor those things are of this world."
"No thanks. You don't seem as shocked as I thought you would, but yes, I came here from another "place". But trying to explain that would take... a lot of time. And... this place really isn't the place to tell long stories."
Magilou began to sit on the edge of her bed now, feet finally making contact with the ground. She leaned forward, her entwined hands serving as chin rest. Her gaze focused solely on Hyoma, whose face is partially obscured due to his tailcoat's collars
"Granted there are stranger things and it's not like the existence of other worlds and universes is a new concept, but still... I'd disagree with you. Once all of this comes to pass, the shock would register and I'd be asking you questions at a hundred words per second."
"I think you already are..."
"Well, what else do you expect?! We're trapped here for 30 days with nothing to do! So I gambled on your willingness to satisfy my boredom!"
"You won the bet then."
Now it was Hyoma who sat up from his resting position, his arms wrapped around his bent knee, upon which laid his chin. He was trying to think of some more information he could pass on without giving away too much. Well, not that that was necessary, considering he really didn't know any more about those "Epitaphs" than Magilou.
"Fine... I'll see what I can talk about."
An unmotivated Hyoma says, all the while ruffling his already-chaotic hair.
Hellawes , Northgand
Evening
Clear Skies
~FFVIII - Intruders ~
It was no small feat, but Velvet had actually managed to scale a cathedral. She was the one most suited for this role in the operation after all. She had a big claw, and what better way to test out its gripping power than to climb a building that basically served as the skyscraper of Hellawes? Its height was extremely useful, for now, serving as the "crow's roost". Behind her were the docks. In front of her, the entire town. What a useful place indeed. From this high, and under the cover of darkness, it was nearly impossible to spot Velvet.
Her job wasn't all that difficult. She was merely a spotter. Locate the patrols and alert her allies in case they're near. And what exactly were her allies up to?
…
"Our plan involves just this."
"The flamestones... You're actually planning to blow up the city?"
Was the idea too visceral for Velvet? She's already wanted for death, no thanks to her scratching a certain praetor's brother's face, what's one more misdeed going to do to her reputation?
"We could always resort to our other plan."
"Hell no! I know my tail can grow back, but that doesn't mean I want to experience the pain that comes before."
That was their other plan?
"It's already too late for that anyway. Word of Titania probably reached here already, and I'm not going to risk walking here in broad daylight."
"In other words, the window of opportunity is already gone. There's no way we can resolve this peacefully anymore."
So Rokurou says with a smile on his face. Good to know he wears his heart on his sleeves. Meanwhile, Dyle was analyzing the flamestones, and a certain little thing stood out amongst the rest.
"Guys, take a look."
He motioned the others to him and in his hands, a map of Hellawes. Drawn with details useless in daily life. Except for an attack...
"That's a hell of a map. Had someone been planning to invade the city?"
Then, a spark of realization came to Velvet.
"Was that why... this place was so messy?"
Her voice had been registered as a whisper, a necessary thing now that the stakes have just increased. Rokurou had to survey the place one more time to confirm her thoughts.
"That map is using flamestone as the method of attack. And some flamestones appear to be stolen. It's not a coincidence."
Not only did it have the method of attack, it also had other details as well. There were 7 flamestones, each in different places, two of which were above the church, one was above the arch near the inn, one was placed on the main entrance, two on the ships which left one as the escapee's ship, and one more on the gate to the docks. It even included the optimal routes for avoiding prying eyes, and the time to initiate the attack.
"Midnight..."
…
And it was in the midst of her recollections that Velvet noticed another thing.
"That map wasn't there when we first got here, but the flamestones appear to have already been rummaged through..."
She had stopped paying attention to Rokurou and Dyle and drowned herself in her own cautious thoughts. Besides, the routes the map chose were indeed optimal. There was little fear in raising suspicion. Above the rooftops, huh...
If someone was planning the attack, at midnight of all times, her own group could stumble upon them. Whether than turns out to be good or bad, nobody knows, but Velvet wasn't going to add unnecessary risk. In addition to the exorcists, she must also watch out for the ones that actually planned this whole thing. So far, not a sign of them. It felt dirty stealing someone's work like this. The plan was basically given to them and the one job left was to light the fuses.
But now comes the (un)fortunate side effects of vantage points. The ability to see a place in its entirety. She hadn't stayed here for long, but that doesn't mean it won't leave a foul taste on her once this place goes up in flames. And if that wasn't enough, her wandering eyes landed on the inn.
"Let's hope he's ok then. It doesn't feel right that we dragged an innocent, human or demon or not, into our problem group and potentially killed him off indirectly."
Rokurou's words kept echoing in her head.
"Hyoma..."
So that's it, hm? She was worried the chaos that would soon erupt would take the life of the innocent boy? Oh, let him have it. He dug his foot into your shin. The bruise is likely still there. He's no longer innocent.
"You're right. There are worse things out there... I'm just being a coward..."
What was his story?
"I wonder if he's still sleeping in that inn?"
What was his story?
"He won't feel a thing when this is all over."
Is that the thought you comfort yourself in?
It had been a long day for Teresa. All because of one incident. She sought comfort in the blue earring given to her by her dear brother (who is currently "defaced" by the way). The lone lamp seated on her desk amidst a mess of papers was the only source of light in the dead of night. Ever since that argument, (which was one-sided by the way), Teresa quickly made it a habit to pinch the bridge of her nose. She was unsightly then, and she is unsightly now.
"Is that the justice you hold so dearly? ~"
He had no right to speak of justice. Teresa had commented about it earlier. For someone with no light in their eyes to speak of justice... It was...
"Disgusting."
But to whom did that word refer to? Him? Or herself?
She had tried to take naps, but his face was burned into her, even beneath her eyelids. That crazed smile and those hollow eyes. Had she been hallucinating, though? The boy was unremarkable but looked sane enough. There's no way such a person switched personalities and expressions so fast.
"Maybe I was hallucinating... The stress of the current situation might even be distorting my memories. Oscar's injuries, the Titania prison break, the escaped criminal..."
She decides that Hyoma's "strange" face was due to her own distortions. Perhaps she could finally go to sleep...
*Knock knock*
Or not...
"Who is it?"
"M'lady, it's Eleanor Hume."
"Praetor Eleanor? Yes, you may come in."
She really was dead tired... She had forgotten another matter. She didn't deserve that sleep.
"Lady Teresa. It's about Beardsley."
"Did you find Dyle there?"
Uh oh...
"Yes I did. It was only for a moment, but the descriptions were on point. A lizard demon."
"Sigh..." Keep sighing like that and all your happiness will leave your body. "Is there a reason you didn't pursue?"
Tired she may be, but her tone was firm. Her voice was pretty iconic amongst the top exorcists. At the very least, it was enough to straighten the back of one Miss Eleanor. Weren't they of the same rank?
"M-Ma'am...! I wasn't feeling confident I could take him on with civilians around...! He could easily take any of them as hostage!"
Same rank, not-so-same demeanor. At least you were honest. Perhaps your punishment would be lighter now...
…
30 days in the holding-!
"Very well."
Eh...?
"Lady... Teresa?"
"You analyzed the situation and came up with a reasonable conclusion."
Maybe she was tired. The edge on her tone softened. Or... no. It didn't. But she had little energy to throw her mood into chaos. She just wanted to sleep.
"And if there's no update from Beardsley, then we can assume Dyle has yet to act."
The temptation of sleep drew closer, but with her last words hanging in the air, sleep will remain an elusive thing. And it showed on her face. Or, her lack thereof. Eleanor couldn't even see Teresa anymore, what with her hair disheveled and shrouding her beauty
"Then perhaps I could lead a group there. At this time, we should be able to surprise him."
Nice comeback. No holding cell for you after all. And yet, Teresa still refuses to make eye contact, her hands remaining on the sides of her nodding head. It seems she, too, thought of this. But at least it wasn't her acting upon it. Good on Eleanor.
"I will take my leave then. Rest well, M'lady".
And with that, the door had shut, and Teresa had been left alone again. The throbbing in her head wasn't going away. It's during these times that she wished she wasn't a workaholic. Or at the very least, wished she made an attempt to clean her office. Because, otherwise, she'd be tempted to look at every single paper and address them. Like, this here...
"Night Parade of One Hundred Demons..."
…
"Still no update on it... It's nearing the third of October. Have they been... spirited away?"
No. There's a time and place for everything. And right now, she needed sleep.
"How about... quid pro quo?"
"Nope."
"How do you not know what that means but know about "Innominat"? They're both Latin."
"And just like French, I presume this "Latin" is another language outside of ours as well?"
"Yes, and quid pro quo means "this for that". I tell you things, you tell me things. Now that I gave some of myself to you, are you willing to do the same for me?"
From the moment Hyoma first smiled, Magilou saw the plethora of masks he wore and she is left to wonder which one was the truth and which one hid it? However, accepting that chaos exists within him was not the same as being prepared for what may come from it. Case in point, the recent events showcased a talkative and very eloquent Hyoma, quite different from the shy boy Magilou knew about back in the ship and yesterday's little group chat with coffee. Perhaps Magilou really did speak the truth about having her job as a trickster taken by him, she who would dominate conversations, initiating and striking where one least suspects it.
"Hmhmhm...~ I think I gave some of myself to you already, courtesy of that overly analytical head of yours.~" She may have been on the receiving end of confusion, but the least she can do is stop the flow of satisfaction to Hyoma. "Like I said, we know each other's excessive falsehoods. Back in the ship and our group conversation? Don't think I haven't noticed your analytical eye. You must've made a number of developments. I think you know about me more than I am willing to reveal. So as for quid pro quo, I think I'm safe for now.
"Oh really? Same goes for you, you know? You weren't exactly subtle either in your "people watching". Who knows how many and what kinds of conclusions you've reached about me? So it looks like neither of us are willing to show more."
"Hm."
"Hm."
…
""Ahahahaha!""
...
Er... I think prison life has rotted their brains. With seemingly no reason at all, both of them burst into simultaneous laughter, bringing new life in these stagnant cells. Goodness, if anyone was in the church and heard the muffled laughter, I won't blame them for thinking the building was haunted.
"It looks like we're not willing to show all of our cards just yet."
Hyoma leaned his side against the steel bars, his face, though directed at the stairs that led to the world above, was actually staring in space. And poor Magilou couldn't find any more enjoyment on the bed, so she decided to huddle in the corner against the steel bars. She was also facing the stairs with just as much emptiness as Hyoma's gaze.
…
…
...
Throughout their conversations and even if she was the one doing the most listening, Magilou had not lied yet and she wasn't planning to, unless asked to reveal her most private pieces of information, then she would just remain quiet. Trickster was her voice from the past, now barebones was her voice, not an ounce of venom nor veil coated it. It was that voice, the voice of transparency, for which she would dispense truth.
And on the other end of the spectrum was Hyoma. Yes, throughout much of their conversations, Hyoma told the truth. But in contrast to Magilou, whose voice shifted from lie to truth, Hyoma's voice shifted from truth to lie. His voice, though transparent, held nothing natural from him. There exist neither confidence, nor arrogance, nor sophistication. And Magilou was no fool. She heard all of these traits in Hyoma's voice during his verbal confrontation with Teresa. These oppressive walls heard none of those. Magilou's voice of transparency was firm, serious, and intimate. Hyoma's? It was nothing but tired transparency. A tired voice.
He was a liar who would usually tell the truth...
"...Have you been telling the truth?"
...While she was a truth teller who would usually tell lies...
"...Yes. As much truth as I am willing to share."
"Then let's stop for today..."
...And for Magilou, it was painful knowing that and cuts the conversation...
"Hm."
Her silence was enough to entice Hyoma's eyes to look her way. Magilou had not been sharing the same scenery. After his little claim, Magilou kept her eyes down, no doubt in the middle of intense thinking. Within these empty, stagnant walls, Hyoma had all the time in the world to find out what she was thinking, but even within his own mind, Hyoma opted to let her keep her privacy.
Plus, there was another matter at hand...
…
"Don't die now, Magilou."
"Huh?"
*Booosh...!*
Those sounds... Those are explosions... Even inside this shelter, the sounds are unmistakably from explosions... Accompanied by shaking...
*KRSHHH*
"Holy...!"
Magilou heard them. 6 explosions in all and the most recent explosion was placed on the church and they served their purpose well, considering the church was unable to support itself and much of it came crashing down and even piercing the lower floors. Hell, it was so bad that the sky can finally be seen again from their perspectives. That glorious moonlight finally illuminating the darkness below.
"Hey! Hyoma! We're a little trapped here!"
The panic in her voice was evident. So she wasn't ready to die today. That's good... Good enough for Hyoma anyway.
"No you're not. Your cell's open. Try it."
"Eh?"
Why would that be the case was the one thing running through her mind, but it didn't stop her from trying. And what do you know?
"It's opened?! How lousy can they get?!"
Now happiness mixed in with her panic, but the scenery of their once peaceful, oppressive darkness go up in literal flames and smoke lent a bit of sadness in it.
But none of that was present in Hyoma. He simply returned to his bed and tries to sleep on his side facing away from Magilou, alerting the urgency within her.
"Hyoma! How are YOU getting out of here?!"
Even with their little heart-to-heart conversations, Magilou wasn't changed as much to the point of voluntarily helping without a modicum of selfishness. She was getting ready to sprint out of that burning building, her feet jogging in place a clear indicator of that.
"I'll leave when I can."
And still, Hyoma refuses to budge. Even when the world crumbled around them without warnings, Hyoma was content on staying put and with every second he stays put, Magilou becomes increasingly desperate. But desperate why? Desperate to leave by herself? Or desperate to help Hyoma? At times like these, it was impossible to tell which one was the right answer. Magilou was secretly thankful of the crisis, else she'd be forced to face to the question, no doubt, a question that would put her current self in jeopardy.
"Hrgh..."
"Wish Velvet a safe journey to Loegres, will you?"
"Gah! Now you're spouting a lot more things that you shouldn't know now that we're separating. You still need to find a way out!"
...A pause...
~NieR Automata — Peaceful Sleep (Music Box)~
"...Hahaha... I'll be fine. I always turn out ok in the end..."
...And under his breath...ever so softly...
"...(For whatever that's worth...)"
...Sigh... That soft, quiet laugh of his. It was so soothing. So peaceful that, to Magilou's perception, seemed to have drowned out the chaos above and the crackling flames around them even for just a flash of a moment...
"...(Could that be...because of the song...? Is that... a music box...?)"
...The song... It started just as Hyoma took upon his mask of serenity. Magilou heard the song... And it was indeed...drowning out the sounds of hell. This wasn't her unique perception though. I'd wager all of Hellawes can hear the song. Or perhaps it's better to say... the song only blanketed the chaos for Magilou and Hyoma. For everyone else, both song and chaos were equally audible. Yes, the Souls truly were perfect in their timing...
Perfectly timed that Hyoma wasted no time in capitalizing on this moment as he stood up and faced Magilou.
...And as he looked to Magilou, she saw that smile, his smile. Weak, but made an effort to reassure Magilou that he would be ok. It was certainly to put her fears to the side. No, more like extinguish them. Because that smile, weak as it may be, was a knowing one.
"…(That song... You were listening too...)"
So spoke the witch to the traveler.
...Before, she would be reluctant to leave Hyoma behind, but that smile was enough to ensure he would survive. She didn't know how, but what mattered most was that Hyoma was expecting this song to play, and the only way he could expect this to play was if the two were separating, and the only way he could expect such separation even within these walls was if he expected a big event to occur.
So she called it then. A hundred words per second, courtesy of the burning emergencies and thanks to that, in that instant, Magilou was able to figure out what Hyoma was planning. The only thing left in his plan was to take her leave...
"The quid pro quo demands that it's my turn next to tell stories. So you better stay tune for those!~ Now then, a promise!"
So she stuck her hand out between the bars of Hyoma's cell, seeking the hand of another.
Ahh... There was that tone Hyoma was looking. That singsong tone in her voice. It was good ol' trickster slash jester Magilou. And what better reaction could the trickster slash jester find than a big ol' smile followed by a happy sigh in their audience's faces?
"Hah..."
It was just like the how fast the moon illuminated the darkness. From peaceful light-heartedness to a joyously bright mask, the switch was instant. How could Magilou ever think she was losing her edge as a trickster slash jester? And so Hyoma wrapped his red gloved hand around Magilou's, promising to intertwine their fate.
And just like from their first handshake, one of them was longing for contact, refusing to let go of their hand, reluctant to part ways with it. One hand had kept a firmer grip than the other, the hand that belonged to the owner that desired for such contact to last forever.
"Then it's a deal...~"
And as soon as their hands parted, Magilou gave Hyoma her "unique, signature" gesture, bowing before him in the most dramatic and spectacular way, as one would expect from a performer to the audience.
"From me to you! Fare thee well, Hyoma!"
Hyoma could do nothing but wave softly back at her. The rubble quickly hid her from his view, but Hyoma was still frozen in time. His hand, though open and hanging in the air, remained still. His smile, that weak smile, unchanging. That melancholic face of his remained.
Even amidst this crumbling world, something still remains in his mind? Enough to keep him perfectly still?
It ran contrary to the word "survival". That's too bad... If Magilou saw him now, something would've been made clear.
"Sorry about this..."
One good indicator of a human who has lost a portion of humanity? Being immune to the screams of humans. Velvet had neither the time nor compassion to care about the deathly wails around her.
The explosions did their job extremely well. Chaos was strategically caused where reinforcements might appear. It didn't matter if these ideal spots were highly populated. In fact, for Velvet, that was a bonus. It meant more work for the exorcists.
"Gahhh!"
"It burns! It burns!"
"My parents! Where are my parents!?"
"Child, you must understand!"
"Quickly! Put out the fires!"
"This way!"
"There's more coming! Evacuate as many as you can!"
~ FFVIII – The Stage is Set~
"It worked well. Good on you, mysterious helper."
Velvet said to no particular person in mind but herself. She was so impressed, in fact, that she actually took the time to observe the chaos. She had long since abandoned her vantage point up on the church, considering it was also one of the targets. Why that is was beyond her. Destroying the church served no purpose, for it didn't even force a chokepoint. There were people still praying in there, but they were likely just collateral damage. Nonetheless, she still had one more job to do.
"Velvet! It worked!"
Piercing through the crackling flames and painful screams was her elated partner. Quite the juxtaposition, it's almost cruel. Such a smile was out of place here.
"Where's Dyle?!"
"He's igniting the last fuse near the gate! He said we have 5 minutes!"
"There's enough to blow the whole gate down, yeah!?"
"Yeah! We gotta thank whoever set this all up! Any reinforcements coming in from Figahl Icecaps are forced to take the secret entrance, but the storehouse is all but blown to smithereens! And anyone that's already here have been forced behind the arch's rubble near the inn!
"Save your gratitude for later! We have to make sure the remaining exorcists that are trapped with us won't make it past the gate to the docks!"
"I'm already on it...!"
It wouldn't be a stretch to say that he was a war demon. Only those types can smile a toothy smile like his while being surrounded by the sound of crumbling buildings, the smell of burning flesh, the commotions of now-orphaned children, and the last breaths of those trapped beneath several tons of stone. It didn't matter if those flamestones were set up specifically to block the chokepoints. Collateral damage was imminent. Especially with how earth-shaking those explosions were. There was no safe place.
"The one with the bandaged arm! You were the one who caused this!"
An exorcist followed by 9 more. 5 with spears and big shields and the other 5 were casters...
"Phalanx formation! Those behind us, cast your magic! They have no means of long range, so take advantage of it!"
If they were shaken by the ordeal, they weren't showing it. They still had their wits and sense to follow orders and assume positions. At the leader's command, 5 exorcists line up with their shields, their spears poking above, and leaving little to expose.
"A phalanx formation... Velvet, you have your boots, right?!"
"I'm on it!"
"Exorcists! Just hold on until Teresa gets here!"
"You should focus on what's in front of you first!"
Velvet, with her headstrong attitude, charges forward. She neither needed her gauntlet blade nor her demon arm for this one. This time, it was all on her boots.
"She's coming!"
The spears were primed. It would be suicide to try and pierce an impenetrable front. So why did she keep going?! The phalanx's eyes followed her own. Her targets.
"She's going for our legs!"
It didn't take an order to synchronize a kneeling position, of course, with their spears still poking above.
"Look again!"
It was suicide, they thought. The samurai took advantage of their inability to reach high up and jumped above them. And from there, he was free to cut down the ill-equipped mages behind the formation. Every second was worth it, considering Velvet was the bait and one spell would be enough to break her focus. If they had fired their first round of spells, it would've been a downhill battle for the duo, constantly recovering and constantly defending.
"They're mad, I tell you!"
Agreed. It took a special kind of someone to dive into a den of long-reaching weapons with nothing but short-reaching weapons.
"Rokurou! Quickly!"
Another explosion?! No... That wasn't part of it...
"It's Teresa! Watch out!"
Her Malaks blew away the arch's rubble, revealing the long-awaited reinforcements. God almighty...
"There must be hundreds of them coming this way..."
"Exorcists! Keep two facing the samurai and three to face the demon!"
And trapped in between the formation and Teresa along with her Malaks was a helpless Rokurou. Neither side was looking easy to break through... No, it wouldn't make sense to go where Teresa was. Not even he was prepared for that army. But the two exorcists facing him could cover the width of their pathway with just their spears.
"Not making this easy, are you?"
"You are allied with that demon. Whether it's hundreds or thousands of exorcists after a mere two demons matters not!"
"Krgh..."
"Rokurou! I'm not staying here while those reinforcements are after us! And if the gate behind us explodes, it's all over! You said you wanted to repay me, well this is how!"
My gosh... No one is right in the head today. Akin to Hyoma before, Velvet wore an insane smile. Yes, there was nothing wrong with repaying debt with death.
"Oh, hell no!"
"Heck no, is right!"
And another?! She who would rise from the rubble and ashes of the church. Injured and scratched up, a body soaked in blood. Likely not her own. Must've come from the bodies crushed inside the church. Could she at least have the decency to clean herself up?!
"Hyaah!"
Her pitching form was pitiful, but miraculously, it did the job. A solid 10 out of 10 for nearly knocking one of the exorcists facing Rokurou off their stance with a palm-sized rock. That one was going to have a concussion for sure.
"Aaaaand! Noooww!~"
There was no better time than now for that distraction. Rokurou hadn't waste time at all. Didn't even spare Magilou a second glance, who was currently running behind him. Her speed was pitiful too. And in front of him was Velvet, who definitely didn't bother with a double take. She took off as soon as that rock made contact with the helmet.
"Dyle! Light the fuse! NOW!"
If that guttural "now" didn't do it, then the sea of exorcists led by the ice queen behind them definitely did. He had never seen so many exorcists before. It was ridiculous! The clanking of armor grew ever louder and his heart beats were fast enough to match each and every metal step. He wasn't even aware of just how shaky his hands were as he tried and tried to light the fuse.
"It's lit! Now hurry up!"
"Number One, prepare to clear the ensuing rubble!"
Teresa hadn't let up. Her tired state did nothing to hinder her stamina. She would have the heads of these demons even if her legs turn to jelly. This, she swears. The Malak she called Number One stayed behind to prepare a spell, hopefully in sync with Teresa's chase. A second too late and he would be dearly punished.
All the while, Dyle already prepared the ship. As soon as the last foot sets into it, the ship would take off.
"Grr... We won't make it!"
Even if she did have the stamina, she didn't exactly have the speed nor distance to catch up in time.
"Lady Teresa! I suggest using your wind spells to propel forward!"
"Praetor Eleanor?!"
Ah, but of course. Eleanor was a close-combatant. It took little effort to catch up to a mage like Teresa.
"That's unacceptable! I want no manpower spared in their capture!"
"The city will be erased when morning comes if this keeps up!"
Oh... You've yet to issue one, selfless order, have you? The moment Teresa stopped in her tracks and turned around, the sea of exorcists slowed down in their pursuit and eventually coming to a stop as well. She needn't see the faces hiding behind those helmets. All of them were waiting for that one order.
"Exorcists..."
…
…
…
"Please save this city."
And that was it. At that order, all of them dropped their weapons and shields, a cacophony of metal music to everyone's ears.
"Eleanor. You're with me."
The seventh and final explosion had gone off, closing the third chokepoint.
"We're golden!"
"No, we're not! Pick up your feet!"
But Magilou's warning would come too late. Teresa, her two Malaks, and Eleanor made it over the rubble courtesy of the ice queen's wind spells. As soon as she landed, Eleanor used her momentum to close the gap between her and Velvet, her spear leading the charge. Her perfect landing and sudden thrust was enough to catch Velvet off-guard. Hell, she didn't even have time to prepare her weapons. Her only defense relied on muscle memory alone and grasped the spear just before the blade reached her throat.
"Malaks! Concentrate fire on the samurai! Leave the demon to Eleanor!
Meanwhile, Velvet had been struggling to redirect the spear in her hands. If her energy failed now, the next minute, she would have her head on a pike.
"You...?! The one I nursed?!"
"What?"
"You're... the demon she talked about!?"
Her strength withdrew in accordance with her hesitation. Velvet would be a fool not to take this chance. So she pulled Eleanor's weapon and when she was finally in range, Velvet grabbed her with her unleashed claw and threw her back to the crowd of casting Malaks like pulling off a strike in bowling.
"Rokurou! Let's go!"
"Uh oh! She's sending one of the Malaks at us! I think they're planning a suicide attack!"
"Dammit..."
The blonde Malak?! This just wasn't her day. He wasn't stopping, but he was predictable. Before he had time fully prepare his spell, Velvet had attempted a low spin kick, knocking Number Two to the ground and interrupting the attack. But Velvet wasn't done. She used her gigantic claws once more to grasp her not-so-helpless victim. Use any means necessary right?!
"Knock them back! Far away! That's an order!"
Tick tock, tick tock, little one.
"An... order..."
And it wasn't long before a fire spell began conjuring beneath the trio's feet. They had no choice but to back off. Far away.
"Good! Let's go!"
Her words were useless. The ship already moved past the docks, fearing that Teresa would launch a wave of spells at it and rendering it immobile. Without an ounce of mercy, Velvet threw the child slave at the ship as she did with Eleanor before eventually jumping onboard herself. There was little hope in closing the distance and damaging it now. The path was destroyed by Number Two's spell.
…
…
…
The song of desperation had stopped.
It would be several long minutes before Teresa got up on her feet. Now she could hear, once again, the nightmare around her. However, her gaze was fixated on the horizon. Even after the ship left the view, still, her face froze forward. What did she just bear witness to?
"Lady Teresa!"
Slowly, she turned her head to the voice, like a zombie who just heard the sounds of the living. Her face was one Eleanor would not remove from her mind for quite a while. She was a cut above many other praetors. She was a leader. The queen of Northgand. So many would be intimidated by her appearance, but little do they know of the light that twinkled in her eyes.
That's the best part. Seeing those stars in her eyes fade into darkness. She would be no different from the monster of today. The last of her self-awareness went into recalling that one moment.
"The justice I hold? Hmph. I saw not even an inkling of justice in your eyes, nay, not even a speck of light in them. Who are you... to judge mine's?"
…
…
...
"M-Medic! We need a medic!"
…
And thus, the abyss proclaims her as one of their own. For now.