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Morrigan turned, and placed her right hand upon her hip, her left upon her upper thigh.

"I'm not young, sir. I do believe I was around when your ancestors were mere children." She said, looking him up and down with her peircing Emerald eyes.

"My name is Morrigan." She had the apperence of a woman in her late twenties, to early thirties. Time had treated her well, it seemed.

"I know much of stories, and I am sorry to say, but I do not carry anything of value this evening. It would be with my host, Kobei."

Morrigan turned to the side just as a mouse seemed to cross her path. Picking her boot up, she let it back down, forcefully, into the mouse's spine. A small shriek of pain, and suprise, and the mouse was dead.

Morrigan picked up her boot, and picked the mouse clean from the heel.

"Disgusting..."

"Damn, it's going to leave a stain..." she muttered, as she wasn't paying attention to what the man had said.

"You must have me confuzed with the other sucubi of the same name. My name is Morrigan Imari. Daughter of Quinton Usagi, and Rayn Imari. I am sister to Lilith, and Minase. I am one of the lesser succubi in history.

What do you mean by elder? I have been part of Mastema's reign for quite some time now, but I left on other buisness. Death is troublesome, until you are reborn."

As the mouse hit the ground, it sprung back to life, and scurried away.

"Damn, I missed."

*The barrier would open a hole in itself for Morrigan to enter through. She wouldn't receive any greetings from Zio this time around, which was probably to her pleasure. If Darenos got too close, no doubt it would close*

*Thanatos exitted the 100th floor, a rather blank expression on his face* ..... *In his hand was some sort of disk, he occasionally glanced at it. On his short walk from the 100th floor to the 98th, he replayed the entire, quarter hour conversation in his head*

Than: *As he entered the room and the door shut behind him, he walked nervously around to where the throne was*

Mastema: Thanatos... welcome. I am glad you could come. How are you?

Better, arigatou gozaimasu. I apologize for disturbing you.... so why don't we just get this overwith so you don't have to stand my presence any longer than you find agreeable

*Mastema's expression had changed at that point, to one of clear displeasure* True... I do have many things to discuss with you... but you should be less willing to get on with it Thanatos. I am not all solitude nor hatred. *The screens around him vanished and he stood, walking to a window*

*He nodded solemnly* I understand..... so.... what is to be my punishment?

What punishment? *Mastema scoffed*

For my transgressions. My betrayals. My crimes. Must I admit all of my faults to you before you hand down what is to be my sentence?

Oh why bother..... I believe I already am familiar with everything you have done. However, what I believe is severe may not be the same as what you call severe.

I understand. I also understand what punishment Micha received for his unexplained leave of the citadel.

His punishment was, in my view, severe for his short leave. I made sure Zio would have his wounds healed shortly after. Of course, I suppose I underestimated his ability to learn. At least now he will know for certain what he should not do. I would rather make my point more clear than necessary..... Nana would surely have made it more compassionate

I agree. However, he is just a child.... and I am much more matured. If his punishment was so physically painful, I should imagine mine is to be much more harmful

All of that is relative

.... *Thanatos just sighed*.... Should I take the initiative and just head to sub level 3 now?

Oh please. Thanatos, as you said to Nana, I know you quite well. "Better than you might like me to." *He smirked at the statement. Thanatos became a tad unnerved upon realizing Mastema had been listening to his conversation with Nana* I can nearly guarantee, my punishment will be something you won't predict

*Than nodded* I see.....

Or perhaps it was not so unexpected. *He sneered* Proto put his operation at risk for you. Your siblings followed you out of the citadel and into dangerous territory, without your knowledge. You compromised citadel security and functionality. Zio was inoperable for several hours. While out, your siblings were exposed to nearly all of the citadel's main enemies, and you allowed them to remain in such people's presence. They stayed the night in an enemy domain, regardless of what your relationship to its inhabitants may have been. On your return trip, you encountered one, Gatia, who has an intent to cause you harm, and would no doubt be willing to harm your siblings if he thought it justified. Furthermore, the very person you so abandoned this citadel to help spent some time here while you were away and even attempted to disable the citadel, even harm some of its inhabitants. And through all this, you returned nearly dead by the help of the very same one who endangered its own operation to help you leave. Are these facts not true?

*Thanatos, by the time Mastema had finished reading off his crimes, was shivering* Iie..... you are correct.

And so you leave the retribution you are to face in my hands?

As the one who was related to all of these affairs most directly, yes. I leave the arbitration of fair repent to you.....

Very well. My judgment is based upon the best of my knowledge of your character. Not only that, I have decided what role I 'should' play in this. Thanatos... your coming to me is just another injustice. You seek some solace and forgiveness in your crimes by receiving a punishment from me. Well, Thanatos, I am not a pathway through which you can redeem yourself. Your redemption is left to yourself and those who you have wronged...

*His fist clenching, Thanatos was on the verge of hearing the last of what he wanted to* So...... my punish-- no... my conviction is....

I see no better and more influencial sentence for you. I condemn you to your own guilt and conscience

*With those words, the very ones he'd told Nana would be the worst sentence to pass to him, he was given his judgment. Mastema would not punish the boy with anything he did not truly want. Thanatos would be left to determine his own repent with no help from his father*

*Many awkward moments of silence passed before Mastema had spoken again* However.... it is not all crime with which you are faced. Your actions were provoked by feelings of your conscience, and for that you should feel no greater reward than having helped liberate your companion

*Thanatos was too deeply impacted by the sentence he'd been given to respond*

As such... I have prepared a different kind of sentence. Perceive it as a punishment if you will, but I give this to you for what I feel is your desire *Mastema approached Thanatos, and gave him the disk he now held*

*With hesitation, Thanatos took the disk and looked at it* What.... what is this?

The answers..... The truth

*Thanatos blinked* The truth? About what?

*He chuckled* I know you have a self made sense of justice, and a strong resolve for the truth. This is my way of showing you just what you have taken upon yourself, Thanatos. That disk contains everything about my plans and the components of this citadel. The answer to questions which have plagued you since the beginning are on that disk. It is, however, up to you whether or not you truly want to carry the burden of knowing the truth *Mastema had vanished to sub level one at that point, leaving only a lingering message* Fare well for now, Thanatos. You may now make your decisions.

*Thanatos wiped some wetness from his eyes with his forearm. He was truly afraid... deathly afraid of what he would find on this disk. However, he knew that to hold integrious to his own desire to make the truth known, he would have to observe his contents. That was Mastema's true punishment. Pain Thanatos with one thing he would willingly hurt himself with, truth*

*The barrier would quickly close behind Morrigan*

*Thanatos had taken a few minutes to gather himself and was now ready to go back to his siblings. He'd wait until later to examine the disk. Opening the door, Than stepped in to see if anything had changed*

*Thanatos just smiled. Trilla and Micha were just the same and Eecheb was no less uncomfortable. He might have moved Trilla back to her bed if he had the required second arm to do so. He wasn't stable enough with his right arm to do it alone. Thanatos never the less went to Trilla's bed and lightly laid down on it. He wasn't quite sure what to do now. He wondered what was on the disk, but he wanted to wait for Eecheb and Micha first*

*Than sighed, more or less in boredom and anxiety* ~_~ I should just get some rest.... *Than started to close his eye on Trilla's bed and slowly drift into rest. A moment before he could fall asleep, he heard the door open and blinked awake again* Hmm? *Than looked at the door and then sat upright, rigidly when he saw who was there* o.x? What do you want?.... er.... I mean... konbanwa.

Zeno: Save it. don't have to be so formal with me..... Where's Mastema? *Zeno was speaking just low enough not to wake the children*

Than: Hnn.. he was in the 100th floor a while ago, but he vanished. I don't know when he'll be back

Zeno: BZZT.... Well then... talk to ya later.... *Zeno closed the door and wandered away*

Than: *blinking at the odd encounter, Than would slowly let it go and drift back to sleep on his side*