Sighing and carefully flexing it’s serpentine body, Strytha ‘listened’ as it’s host mumbled in her sleep and settled into deeper slumber. Wrinkling it’s snout in distaste, it wished (and not for the first time) that Kadyrelite was a little more… optimal. Granted, there was strength and even some genuine artistic talent which pleased the youma to no end. But the child was an idiot, easily distracted. If Strytha had had hands, it would have buried it’s face in them and despaired. Really, this would be an uphill battle to make the lieutenant into somethign better than she was at present. Flexing almost maliciously and nipping irritably at the girl’s burning starseed, the youma gave small vent to it’s frustrations.

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A lingering, burning pain snapped Alodie awake and she fumbled about in a half blind daze for a moment before realizing it was still quite dark and Too Damn Early. Groaning, she sat up groggily and tried to figure out what had woken her up. Nightmare maybe. Rubbing her eyes, she threw back the blanket and wobbled to her feet.

You should be sleeping.

“Yeah, well, I should also be youma free, but as I’m not and I can’t, I’m getting a drink.”

There was an oddly cold sensation from within that she couldn’t figure out. Not anger or displeasure, more like an absence. Well, maybe the youma had been jolted awake too. Upon reaching the fridge, she dug out a small bottle of juice and chugged it down then and there. Once done, she tossed the bottle into the recycling bin and headed for the couch rather than bed.

You’re not going to watch that nonsense again, are you? You’ll rot out what few brains are still rattling about in your skull!

Raising an eyebrow at the youma’s irritated tone, Alodie sat down on the couch and sighed.

“Well, I’d considered it, but since you seem to have your scales in a bunch, I guess I won’t. What the hell’s got into you?”

She sensed a slight confusion and withdrawl before the youma answered in a calm and concilatory tone.

I apologize. It is difficult for Strytha to tolerate such things when they are so patently and blatantly wrong. You should know as much given your service to the Dark Kingdom and Metallia.

Well, Alodie frowned. That put a damper on her enjoyment in Ancient Aliens. Okay, so maybe they were wrong about some details, but they seemed to still have a decent idea of the overall picture!

She felt the exasperated sigh that pushed out against her own torso.

Think what you wish, child. Just don’t turn that silliness on tonight. Read or try to play your instrument instead. Or just try to go back to sleep.

Grimacing, Alodie nevertheless did as requested. Curling up on the couch, she closed her eyes and did her best to fall back to sleep. And after a few moments, she succeeded.