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Bischofite's revelation made the youma grin even wider still, ears perked up and alert. "Yes. But why did Beni say I died? I'm not dead. I'm still Bazzite. Do I look dead to you, Titan?" Opening up his arms, the youma looked slightly confused. Why would Benitoite lie, and to his new recruit on top of that?

Everything the blonde said made Bazzite like him that much more. "I like the way you talk, Lieutenant. I bet your lord does too. But you are right - it gets awfully lonely down here, as I bet you can imagine. When more than half the population can't give you anything more than a few grunts or gurgles, conversation's a rare delicacy indeed. Just imagine being the only person stuck in a room full of, say, pigeons. That gets really boring, really fast, and all that stench..." Bazzite waved a clawed hand in front of his nose.

"Plus, there's no television, no phones... can you imagine me calling in a pizza?" Another unearthly chuckle. "I can't very well give them an address and on top of that, can't even eat it!"

The youma took a few long strides towards Titan and placed a clawed hand on the man's broad shoulder. "I don't know if your lord told you this, and you should listen up too, Bischofite. But I have a bit of advice for you two." The youma craned his neck and leaned in very close to Titan's face - probably too close but what was personal space down here in the Rift anyway? "If you don't want to get eaten, carry food." Bazzite explained, one claw pointing to the part in his chest where his heart may have been. "Starseeds, if you can. At least one. We looooove those things. If somebody, say, not nearly as nice as me shows up and gives you trouble, throw it. It's like a beacon."

Bazzite then rolled his shoulders and stood up again. "Or you can be extra nice and just give them to me."

"No, you do not look dead, Bazzite." He tone was flat, spoken from the deep and back of his throat. The Youma's sudden close proximity was disturbing, a bit alarming, but near or far were no less dangerous if the decision was made to try to eat them. Instinct was against anyone who followed it to flee- don't run, you'll just die tired.


It was like picking at a scab, this little lieutenant's attitude and that was the more uncomfortable. Bischofite seemed incapable of listening to advice about stopping, about being just empathetic or polite, and would end up bloody again in the end if he didn't. Flaunting position with the shared general, taunting about what was no longer had, and certainly acting above his merit. If what they were saying was all true, that this thing had been....one of them...somehow....and was now this? Salting gangrene was just sadism, not honor. Not something he could stand beside.

His own instinct dealing with the sort the first time had been what got him sent to Hillworth. Breaking the boy wasn't the right answer, and probably wouldn't stop his ways. Talking, Titan thought, it would just insight more foolishness. Still, the large lieutenant, leveled his gaze over at the other, stoney where there had been tentative warmth.

"Who do not know the price of timber are not worth their place at the oars. It's a long sea and a long storm, little brother. You're going to be lonely."

No muss, no accusations or thrown punches, just state the fact and then ignore the sass-factory that refused to work emotionally as part of the drótt. Turning gaze back to Bazzite, Titan warmed again, "You were saying you eat starseeds, as do others here? Do you go out to harvest them at all, as others do? Do you each energy orbs?"

He'd been pretty clear about not being able to eat pizza....maybe it extended to all regular food. That was something...distinctly inhuman. Their only source of energy to sustain life was food- proteins and carbs from the food groups. If he had a room, and he hadn't been to it, did he not want his things there? Could he leave the Rift as he was?
"Do you like any other things? Something to pass time, when there's no one to to talk to?"

"Do you know how to speak outside of tried and trite proverbs?" Bischofite asked flippantly. Perhaps when the taller lieutenant learned to speak for himself rather than hiding behind the outmoded wisdom of the ages, they'd have more to discuss. It was already difficult to discern his words due to his accent, but the unusual phrasing coupled with its relation to ancient artifacts left him somewhat baffled. He could only assume that the blonde meant no one wanted to be around him. At least, that's all that remained clear to him.

That wasn't so bad.

Until the youma followed up with a much more violent reaction.

An unusually cold hand enclosed over his face in the blink of an eye, and despite his protests, Bischofite remained suspended in the air, finally at eye level with the blue youma. He could no longer speak; for the duration of the youma's contact with him, his actions dwindled to trying to pull the clawed hand off his face and reach ground again. However, both of those attempts met with no success.

Inwardly he seethed. Bischofite hated the blue-haired beast's treatment of him. He despised being treated as a fool, and made an example for his caustic remarks. It was precisely predicaments like these which lent to his aversion for mankind, humanity, and all human relations therein. He'd rather scorch teh earth than deal with another interaction right now, and despite all his blazing hate, he found no way to prevent the youma's relentless insistence on humiliating him.

In front of a peer, no less. Not that the peer thought much of him to begin with.

The youma's incessant poking at his chest frayed his last nerves. How dare he point out his starseed like Bischofite knew nothing of such things... What the hell did he bother entertaining this dolt for? To be fed information he already knew? To learn that the youma wanted to manipulate him into an endless supply of starseeds?

No, he wouldn't stand for that.

Once the youma relinquished his grasp, and Bischofite found the ground once more, he wiped his face from the youma's atrocious grip and shot a scathing glare in its direction. He didn't care if the thing usurped one of his weapons; the things were useless to begin with. no, this beast struck a mortal blow to his pride. The blonde bore witness to it.

Rather than sticking around for the two to add insult to injury, Bischofite offered a rude gesture to the unconscionably tall youma and headed back toward the barracks. Perhaps he should avoid the humanoid kind altogether; lieutenants, captains, generals and youma alike. Certainly it was a better choice than subjecting himself to ceaseless mockeries.

((This be his exit! It was fun!))

Bazzite was almost sad Bischofite, Lieutenant Full-of-Hate, had retreated. The youma was planning on nibbling on his hide just a little bit longer before letting him go and then tattling to Benitoite about it. Bazzite couldn't do much to avenge himself if the target wasn't in the Rift, after all. With a sigh and stress relieved, the youma turned back to the blonde - the respectful blonde - with a smile.

"Oh yes, Beni's a real nice guy." replied the blue one, his voice lilting and free of anger. He felt at home with Titan, not threatened. Relieved. His tone of voice and body language clearly defined his relaxed state. "I'm sure he'd like to meet you too. If he took Buttface under his wing... Beni's got a great deal of patience. Maybe too much patience if you ask me." Bazzite huffed in a faux-displeased display towards his beloved General. Despite everything that had happened, Bazzite couldn't find it in himself to be angry with his General. He didn't even blame the petite blonde for the fate that ultimately befell him.

Scratching the side of his head absently, Bazzite smiled. "You know, you're a real stand-up guy, Titan. I like you. Consider yourself welcome in the Rift anytime. At least, by me." Another metallic chuckle and rolling of the shoulders. "I can't speak for the other critters running around in here. But if you're bored or you need someplace to go down here, call for me. I have a pad... of sorts. A place I stay when I'm not needed." Air quotes.

Bazzite had to scoff for a moment at the thought of Benitoite hating someone other than a senshi or a knight. "I don't think Beni would mind you talking to him at all. He's a real nice guy. If you're nervous then you can tell him I sent you. How's that sound?" The youma flashed a smile at the blonde, slowly starting his walk back towards the Hall of Shadows. An escort of sorts. Most other youma left him alone. Bazzite was one of the talking ones. It was the least he could do. Despite the fact that youma were incapable of many complex human emotions, even animals could show gratitude. Even youma.

"A snack would be nice, Titan. I do love snacks..."