Welcome to Gaia! ::

Corrupt Zubeneschamali

Had he allowed himself the choice, 'Mali would have been very likely to not come to this seminar. His feelings, outlook on youma, and his place in the Negaverse among all these non-senshi beings were not very positive. It never seemed to feel like he quite belonged here. Not due to anything feeling 'too intense', or cruel, but because of just what he was, a senshi at a seminar about youma who he could never use as a 'tool' like it seemed some of these people wanted them to believe.

Alas, he was never given many choices in life thus far. The moment 'Nubi told him she was going, his hands were tied, and he found himself in the back of the area by her side, looking around and recognizing no one. Atleast the notice he received had a list of speakers, and there was one name he recognized (two, but had no cares for the other) that brought a small smile to his face. Perhaps this wouldn't be so very bad at all...

And yet he was wrong.

Yes, he knew he could be a snob sometimes, and yes, he knew he, himself, could dragon and on, and try to sound far smarter than he actually was in an attempt to impress a person, but this seminar was downright pretentious.

Every word he listened half made him roll his eyes, if only due to the tone each speaker carried. Speaking down, talking about things he couldn't hope to control due to him being a senshi. Were it not for the fact that some of the speakers were Youma themselves, Mali would have imagined it was a load of s**t being spewed from their mouths. How much of this was actual facts, written in their dossiers? How much of this was assumed facts that there was no actual research behind? How much of this even mattered to a Senshi like himself?

Then again, it wasn't their fault for Mali's own thoughts of the matter. After all, anyone who didn't desire to be there would likely feel the same way, made even worse by the bitterness that came with the thought that bonds made like those spoken about were to never be used by the corrupts like himself. After all, they spoke already of "standing against the senshi", as if all could be grouped together as enemies.

How disgusting.

Of course he did find a bit of interest here and there, especially when he sat up to see a familiar face, Vivre, speaking out loud... Though it was a shame his words were so few compared to some of the other prattling voices that continued on and on. Another conversation that caught his attention as well was the thought of purification, the idea of bringing someone back from the point of Youmafication to be wholly human again.

... It wasn't a bad idea, being able to be human again... Being able to properly intertwine his fingers with a certain Lieutenant... It would be one hell of a decision to do so, however. Nothing that could be brought up, not when they weren't even close. Not when the halfling was happy where he was.

Finally, when it was all over, and people began to either ask the speakers their questions or slowly filter out of the room, Mali stood, giving a small stretch.

"Well... That was certainly... something." He kept his voice low, gaze turned to his twin. No matter how many 'thoughts' he had about the seminar, none of them would be said aloud while still here. Who knew who was listening, or worse, who would be hot headed and lash out at him for having an opinion that was anything but the utmost respect and fascination?

"Vivre was on stage... Do you think he might have time for a chat before we head out? I wouldn't mind giving him a praise for what he said... I'm biased, but seeing him here was certainly one of the more interesting things about coming to this place."

MoonKitsune

Leopleuradon

General Pyrophanite

Pyrophanite was mostly there because he had heard there was half youma shennagins and well, HE was a half youma.

"OI FAUSTITE." The general waved his hands after the seminar finished because he mostly didn't pay attention. After all, he was Pyrophanite.

"The like chick with the pipe, super eloquent with explaining how awesome we are." He gave thumbs up. "Could use some more flair though."

General Wolfeite


Kamacite was in the back; Wolfeite had seen him when he'd been speaking but had not indicated to him as of yet. There was no need to call out to him in front of everyone, not when Wolfeite had been spending the rest of his time resisting a strong urge to sink his teeth into the throat of the ones who thought they knew better - namely the General who'd said he liked flowers.

Still, the rest had vaguely interesting things to say, though Wolfeite was less concerned with the human ones than the youma ones. He listened silently, without rebuttal or interference, lurking off to the side of the room with his ears upright and alert, one of them twitching every so often to catch a sound. Shadows deepened around his feet, making them almost invisible in the dim lighting of the room.

But it was finished, and the rest were milling about. Wolfeite took a few slow strides over to where his senshi sat, still clutching the cup in his pale hands. Kamacite had been the first of his recruits and the most promising; he had not forgotten that.

Do you also not like me for what I am? For being a corrupted senshi? Kamacite had asked on his first awakening.

Lost one, I care for no one and nothing except myself. But I will make you into something great. I will make you into something big, so that no one will question you, so that all will fear you, so that you will be able to take what is yours and make the world bow to you.

That was what he had promised, almost two years ago. He had never listened to the lines drawn against the corrupted senshi, had never factored that into his decisions. Kamacite was his recruit, and therefore he would be better than all of them. And as his General, he needed to refocus his efforts more.

Wolfeite let his gaze flicker over Kamacite, eyeing him. The look on the senshi's face was difficult to interpret.

"What did you think?" he asked, and his voice was as low and graveling as ever, but not sarcastic.

Throughout the meeting, Tanzanite had done well in keeping herself out of the way. Only faint expressions, shadows of the fearsome face she'd left behind, gave cause to believe there was any emotion at all behind that pale, off-color skin. A tightening of her jaw when her former rank was mentioned, a brief closing of her eyes the only indication that she had been part of the Negaverse at all. Everyone once in a while, when the words hit just a little too close to home, when they hurt, Alkaid would reach back and gently hold her hand. A reminder. A promise. You're safe now, that small squeeze reminded her towering counterpart. It was a lie. They both knew it was a lie, but it comforted Tanzanite nevertheless.

And then that weird ******** youma had to speak, and she was yanked right back out of her comfort zone.

' -- to die."

Tanzanite turned her head turned to the strange creature, a youma bonded after her time, and if she'd had a heartbeat it likely would've skipped a pump or two. Not for the creature... but the question. She would leave that one for her superior officers and their youma. It was not her place anymore, and so she remained silent against the wall.

Aaaaand then...

“KITTY!”

If the shy new recruit in the back was trying to keep all attention off of herself, Tiberius made certain she failed. Tanzanite didn't seem upset about it at the time, grateful for the excuse to slowly sink down to her knees as Alkaid's question dragged attention towards them. It brought her eye-to-eye with the large cat. In her time, Mauvian technology had not existed, but both Tanzanite and her now-missing arm had always felt a strange fondness for the technologically advanced creatures.

And a proper sense of respect, even if her first impulse was to grab them under the tummy and hug them ferociously.

A fact which made Brise and Battu, the two large but weakened wolf youma laying outside of the seminar to await her return, entirely unhappy. Battu growled, but nobody was around to hear him, which only made the emaciated, skinless creature even more annoyed.

Tanzanite laughed, as quietly as she could, and lifted her remaining hand to scratch as gently as possible behind one of the Mauvian's ears. Her fingers ended in claws that were not too different from the feline's own, and so she took great care. It was something she should've asked permission to do – they were not house cats, after all – but Tanzanite's scattered mind didn't even consider it. Even as she brushed it gently along Tiberius' back, watching him with a strange but joyful curiosity, her hand shook.

Why was her hand shaking?

“My greatest pleasure to meet you, Tiberius. I'm Ta-” she paused rather suddenly, as though she had made a terrible mistake. Tanzanite was hesitant and almost...afraid? The right side of her face was still as pretty as Aree Cadence had once been, before Kunzite killed her and Tanzanite became... what had they called her? A parahuman? Regardless, that same pretty smile took hold of her expression to mask the fear and trepidation, a technique she tried and failed to copy from Laurelite. There was no permanent way of hiding herself. Alkaid could not stay beside her forever, a bright beacon of energy that stifled Tanzanite's presence, and there was nothing she could do about that cracked and awful thing at her core. They shouldn't have come here... but too much had changed for her to not be there.

Could she really hide forever, down in the Rift?

Did she want to?

The answer to that question came only after one deep, calming breath that her body didn't need, and she lowered her voice to a whisper that only Tiberius would hear.

“My name is Tanzanite.”

Eternal Aue

Squiddy had seated him between a youma that looked like a lamprey and some officer that he didn't know from Eve, though he wasn't entirely upset by this. At least the damned thing didn't 'ink' me today. His relationship with Faustite's personal youma was a trying one; in fact, he had sort of named it. Perkele. A Finnish swear - one he'd directed at it often - was the official name, but the smouldering general tended to just call the gently flapping creature Squiddy. For obvious reasons.

Aue called it annoying.

The youminar got underway with the first guest speaker being quite the familiar face. Several of those presenting were known fairly well by the corrupt eternal, with Euphoria and Benitoite being the exceptions.

Aue found himself with arms crossed and expression sour - it was one thing for a youma to tout their importance and be self-absorbed, quite another for an officer. A schoolyard proclamation as a presentation...should have made one of your subordinates write your speech.

Getting through Benitoite's presentation was an exercise in restraint. Nothing the general said was sensible under the training given to officers of the Negaverse. Aue knew this even as a senshi. It was literally in the training guide that was handed to new officers before the advent of the Mautech tablets - now it could simply be pulled up on those lovely communication tablets at a whim. He could do it during the seminar if he wanted. Aue was pretty sure the verbiage was something like 'Only Generals and above can make new officers, and only Sovereigns can promote made officers' but he hadn't made it a point to memorize the entire thing. Stupid. A waste. And the Queen is going to back his stupidity...for what purpose? To leave what was once an officer to live? Her purpose is unknowable, but it's not my place. Suddenly, he wanted. He had to know - he had questions for Benitoite.

By the time the QnA session began, Aue was in full disgruntle mode, thick brows drawn together. He was having none of lamprey youma trying to nom on his shoulder and clouted it firmly with a "Ei!", using Finnish as he tended to when dealing with youma - or half-youma as it were.

"General Benitoite, Sir," Aue stood, he wanted it to be easier for the man to recognize where the question was coming from, "You say that you were unaware you were unable to promote this captain, however that information is plainly listed withing the Negaverse Training manual." As he had prepared for this, Aue opened his communication pen to tablet mode once more and held it up so that he could read from the highlighted section. "Verbatim, Only Generals and above may corrupt a new officer, and only General-Kings and Queens may promote an officer or corrupt a new Senshi." He closed the tablet and stood, shoulders back and bearing straight, gaze steady upon the diminutive general being addressed.

"It is exceedingly clear, Sir. Can you explain why you thought it within your power perform an action not within your purview?" He wasn't even going to touch on the rest of the paragraph, about how the 'most suitable option' for traitors was death, or how those reclaimed from the White Moon would always be weaker than they once were. Something to discuss with Faustite about Vitriol, at a later date. I'm sure he knows about this, however. He is exacting.

Eternal Kamacite

Keeping his eyes and thoughts to himself, Kamacite was startled when he heard the growling voice of his General, his shoulders tensing as he lifted his head to meet Wolfeite’s gaze. Wolfeite’s eyes were ones often in his nightmares. Feral and glowing like the moon in a dark sky.

Kamacite allowed himself to take a breath to try and settle himself, though his hands clasped even tighter to the cup between them.

What did he think? He thought a lot of things. Most of those things would never be voiced. He’d accepted his fate long ago, and knew he should be grateful to be alive now, and not a rotting corpse left in an alley, starseedless.

“I thought we were offered much needed insight in regards to youma, sir,” he responded quietly, his eyes settling back down to the cup in his hands. He wasn’t lying, although he’d basically repeated the description given for what the seminar would be about.

I thought maybe there would be an offer to attempt to make senshi visiting the Rift easier, or even plausible to do so on our own. Having a General I can’t communicate with makes things difficult. I agree that youma and parahuman officers should be given the same respect as to those who aren’t… I thought it was a little irrelevant to have senshi learn about things we can do nothing with, except stay away from youma and where they live.

Kamacite would never forget how hunted he felt whenever he was in the Rift. Knowing that it was only by Wolfeite’s grace that he was protected when he was there. For all intents and purposes, he felt even less human than the youma and parahuman officers now, just for being a senshi. Could he blame anyone though? Senshi were the enemy after all.

Another familiar voice had his eyes lifting once more, this time towards the front. Kamacite hadn’t realized Aue was in attendance, but he was asking one of the Generals questions, challenging them and their decisions.

Aue, what are you doing…?

General Wolfeite


A dark brow rose.

"Is that all?" Wolfeite asked. Not unkindly; not abrasively. Low and curious. Around him, he could hear the sound of voices, the shuffling of footsteps, the cadence of syllables as people milled about, asking their questions. One ear was swiveled around to catch all of this, flicking a little, and he stood with his hands linked together behind his back, tall and calm and almost relaxed. Almost; the wary wolf look in his eyes had not yet dissipated in any way and likely never would.

A familiar voice made him almost turn his head, though he resisted the movement. Beneath the mask, Wolfeite's teeth gritted together, but he remained still and silent, listening. After a moment, he half pivoted on his feet, not quite turning fully around, but enough so that he could see the rest of the room, standing more to Kamacite's side than in front of him.

"What would you have said if you had chosen to speak?" Wolfeite asked, slanting a gaze down at his senshi.