Author's Notes:

So, for those extremely few who are reading this, do you like this story so far? Is it decent? Good? Bad? Leave your opinion in a Review, if you feel that you must.

Disclaimer:

Iji belongs to Daniel Remar and his company, Remar Games. I claim no ownership to it, or any references found within this story.

Iji: Demimortal

Chapter 5: Encounter

Iji Soundtrack: Hade Shade

'Alright, Iji, calm down… What can be done… Gotta think quick…' she contemplated, attempting and failing to find a solution to this situation that didn't involve fighting the Tasen in front of her. Before she knew it, however, they were upon her, guns trained on her head. Though, before they had the chance to fire, one of them pointed out to the other two present, "Hey! That's the guy who saved one of our Scouts!" The small group immediately pointed their guns away from the two, a blue one saying, "Yeah, the guy on the floor saved one of us a couple of minutes ago. We're goin' to let you go free, but just us. Consider it a shaky truce, I guess. Just don't be surprised if any of the other guys later on decide to shoot you, anyways." She said to Iji, the gender being determined by the voice. Iji merely had another stunned look on her features, and nodded shakily, slinging Satuxim over her shoulder and asking the three of them to move aside. Politely, of course. They complied, shifting along and going back to their posts.

Iji kept on moving forward, coming by more Tasen. They simply ignored her, and she did the same, though still occasionally casting weary glances in their directions. Walking over to the elevator on the other side of the room, she went up it. While it was ascending, Satuxim twitched a little, his eyes slowly fluttering open. "Ugh… Geez… My precious, aching head…" He glanced upwards, noticing Iji looking back down on him. "Yeah… You can let go, now…" She did as he asked, and he slowly straightened himself up. Stretching, he asked, "So, how long was I out for?" "Oh, I'd say about three minutes," Iji replied, a little amused at his joking tone. "Hah. Told you it'd take a couple of minutes. Now, then, did you run into any Tasen while I was under?" Iji nodded in affirmation, "Yeah. They let me go, though, saying that you saved a Scout… Did you, really?" He shifted his head up and down in a yes. "Well, you see…"

"Hmm. Well, that was… nice of you, I guess…" "I know, right? I'm such a nice guy! Except when I'm angry. Trust when I say that you do not want to be within a square mile of a sufficiently pissed-off me. It wouldn't end well for anybody." He joked in the first part, then attempted to sound intimidating in the second. Both of his intentions were fulfilled quite easily, Iji slowly backing away. "Oh, sorry. I tend to get carried away a bit. So, to ease the tension, I'm going to let you ask some questions about me! I can just sense the curiosity brimming up in you. You're going to find out later on anyways, so why not? This's as good a time as any, so fire away!" Iji nodded, then went a bit deep into her thoughts.

Her first question was, "Okay, just how old are you, anyways? You look like a teenager!" Satuxim responded, "This is the body of a fifteen-year-old. Now, for my actual age, pick a number between one and one hundred." Iji looked shocked at this, but she answered regardless, "… 24?" Satuxim smirked. "Nope. Try 99." Iji's mouth immediately flew open, and before she could ask how that was even possible, he said, "Again, magic can do a lot of things, dark magic in particular. Luckily for me, that includes granting immortality and eternal youth. Oh, want to see proof? It'll also answer the question of why I weigh so little. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't scream, by the way." Not really giving Iji the option to say no or look away, she had no choice but to keep her gaze focused at what he was about to show her, a small tingle of fear now inside of her chest.

Satuxim reached his hands out, and a black aura surrounded them. After a moment, it shifted to form claws around his fingers, and, rather unexpectedly, he tore them into his chest and ripped himself open. Inside of him were not organs, or blood vessels, but rather a never-ending pool of darkness, with the occasional streak of red flashing inside. Iji stared, Satuxim stood perfectly still, and a very awkward silence ensued. "Yeah… The only truly physical thing on me is the skin and ensuing hair. Everything else? What can easily equate to pure energy." Iji finally managed to regain the will to open her mouth, and, using this regained function, she settled on screaming because of the freak of nature before her. Or, at least, she would have, were it not for the fact that of tendril of the magic shot out and clamped around her mouth, effectively shutting her up.

"I told you not to scream! Sheesh! What'll the aliens and Dan think? That I'm secretly attempting to murder you? Actually, wait, no, let me try something else, I've done plenty of murder… Hmm… Well, actually, the only other example I can think of would be rape or torture, and I'm not that much of a physco." His smirk managed to somehow grow even wider. "At least, I think I'm not. But no, seriously, though, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. I am going to let go, now. Don't scream." After a couple of more seconds, he followed through. Iji let out an audible gasp, and took several deep breaths to calm herself. Satuxim then immediately took his hands off of himself, and the skin instantly mended itself back together.

The Lift came to a stop after a couple of more minutes, and Iji still sat there, getting her thoughts straight, gasping softly even after those minutes had passed. "Hey, you wanted to know, and now you do. I am who I am, and nothing can stop that. Not would-be friends, not enemies, not even myself. I'm not your enemy, really, I'm not. I'm just going to have to request that you don't freak out whenever I do something related to magic. Oh, and not shoot me in the process, as well. That's all I ask." Satuxim reached his hand out, and Iji flinched back, still a little scared. After a few moments, though, she got her nerves together and reached out as well. Satuxim pulled her up, and the two were on their way. "… Satuxim?" "Hm?" "Sorry for trying to shoot you, back there, when we first talked." Satuxim smirk suddenly faded, which was quickly replaced by a genuine smile. "No biggie. That reaction was a completely natural one, I can assure you of that much. You were presented with something that could be a threat, and, scared, you didn't really bother to think. I know that sort of sensation all too well, myself…" A small frown then replaced his previous grin, and the air around him turned solemn…