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 Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 9:45 pm
"I didn't either, at first." While it was true, she knew she was grasping at straws by this point. Aleria seemed hellbent on doing this, and nothing she could say would help. Yet she continued to grasp, desperate to use every one of her own resources; nobody would be able to say she didn't try. "It was hard, and lonely, and horrible, but you know, it passes. You find someone - several someones, usually - and they grow on you. They become your friends, and then your family. You do belong here, Aleria, with other FEAR creatures. Not with halflings who maim because they can. They're not interested in you, they just want another tool!" She gave a frustrated sigh, finally uncurling her hands, if only to bury them in her thick black hair. She was still deeply disturbed and entirely angry, but she wasn't sure what else to do at this point. What else to say. Her urge to literally smack some sense into the other creature would only be bringing her down to the Hunter's level, and she couldn't have that.
A small blond, a scientist woman, and a man so thin he could be undead - interesting. A few of the descriptions sounded familiar, at least. "I understand why you'd want to spare names, but don't bother - I know most of the Hunters, and most of them have left their marks on me." There were also a few of them who had hurt her as a direct result of her making them hurt themselves, but the truth of it was still there. "I promise I don't - and won't - lash out unless they attack first." Except for that one time with Otto, but that was a special case.
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 9:57 pm
"It has been hard and lonely for some time, Amrita," they replied, gently. They seemed to think that being forceful might provoke her, might hurt her in a way that would cause damage. That was the last thing they wanted to do. "I belong where I can be of use. I want to become a tool, to become the means in the means to an end."
Maybe it was illogical, to desire this. But what was so wrong with wanting to simplify their existence? To distill it down to the core of what was important?
They sighed. "Otto. Mimsy. Taym. Your promise is very much appreciated, as I am quite fond of all three."
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:09 pm
Amrita's expression turned even more sour as Otto's name left Aleria's lips. That jackin---augh. She had almost hoped it was Gale, because at least Gale seemed reasonable, but no. It had to be Otto. The little b*****d who wouldn't stay dead. Mimsy's name was more of a surprise, and while she didn't know Taym, she already had more of a reason to dislike him.
"I see." She said after a rather obvious moment of silence, collecting her own thoughts. Her eye was still narrowed as she searched Aleria for any other hint, waiting for any slight opportunity to get her to reconsider. There continued to be nothing for her to latch on to, and that had to be the most frustrating thing about all of this. It reminded her just how helpless she was, and how futile life would always be.
"When are they coming to get you?" She said carefully, after another extended bout of silence.
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:14 pm
The silence did not unnerve them. Primarily, because they were unaware that such gaps in discussions were uncomfortable to most.
"We have not determined a time nor a date. It was merely presented as an option to me, and that I would have as much time as I needed to think. The island visit was a way for me to see the avenue of my future."
It made them wonder, briefly, how they were going to find Otto again.
"I am thinking I shall go as soon as the rest of my possessions have been accounted for." They gestured to the forgotten minipets. "They are among the last to go."
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:48 am
Amrita gave a glance to the Kodama, her eyes naturally falling on the one she had dropped in her haste, and for a moment she felt guilty. Her knee-jerk response was to now refuse to adopt them on the ground that if she didn't, Aleria would stay longer, and who else in their right mind would add several hundred kodama to their own collection of minis, anyway? That logic was flawed, and she knew it. If she said no now and left, she would forever be wondering what happened, or if they came for it, or any number of horrible things.
"I'll take them. All of them." Amrita submitted grudgingly, her gaze dropping to the floor for a moment. When she did finally look up at Aleria, her eye was narrowed once more. "But only if I can go with you for the procedure." She was not keen on watching another creature turn, but she had to be there.
Especially since she knew Otto didn't like her in the slightest.
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:07 am
For a moment, Aleria closed their eyes and pressed their hands to their chest, exhaling a soft sigh of relief. It was the last burden lifted from their shoulders, and it was such a pity that Amrita couldn't listen to the demon's reasoning.
"As you promised that you did not initiate fights, merely respond, I shall take this offer as long as you promise that remains the case. I have no reason to doubt you, but I've none to doubt them, either, so I hope you understand."
Aleria began rounding up several kodama from around the room, casually breaking them free from their little ice prisons, one by one.
"Is there time for an engagement on the morrow?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 2:43 pm
"I will never understand." Amrita admitted, her tone hardening for another moment. "But the least I can do is go with you, and hope they let me come back home unscathed." She sighed, running her hand through the loose pieces of her dark hair; the island terrified her, it really did, but she felt she had to. Perhaps the Hunters would show their true colours once faced with her, and perhaps if Mimsy was there she'd have a better chance of going home without incident...but in the worst case scenario, she would be there for their final moments as a Halloween citizen. Amrita was not going to let her go through that ordeal alone.
"But yes, my promise stands, and will continue to." She had always tried to be a ghoul of her word, after all. Her gaze fell to the plethora of kodama that were being freed, and then down to the few that had bravely started to gather at her feet again. How she was going to fit an extra two hundred minipets in her room was a great question, but she'd do it. She had promised.
"Engagement?" Amrita parroted, surprised. Wait, what? An engagement? "To whom?" Didn't Aleria say they had nobody here?
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 4:35 pm
"And I am sorry for it, truly," Aleria replied, heartfelt. Just because they did not understand didn't mean that they were a monster. Amrita truly did seem to have some misplaced fear for the hunters. Hopefully, this whole encounter would be a positive experience for Amrita, and maybe build up some walls around that raw emotions she had in spades.
"Ah, I meant, well...." A sheepish smile. "I was waiting, for everything to be taken care of. As I left, Otto gave to me something, so that I could return. Once I was ready. If I was ready."
They lifted from beneath their cravat a collar, its metal shining black, with a pendant glowing blue and grey, warm in their hand.
"It will take me to the island. When it is time-- when I choose it. Now that you've agreed to take the Kodama in, there is no other task. I would like to go tomorrow."
Their eyes glittered-- not with tears, but with unadulterated excitement.
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