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 Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 4:24 pm
Amesite was still incredibly new to this whole powering up thing; truth be told, he was muddling through the works of it all as best he could but it was a bit of a struggle. Not that he would admit it. On the outside, he looked confident and he kept telling himself to play the part until he reached that point.
Of course, that would have been much easier if he didn’t just screw up.
It was after work and, being the clever soul that he was, he realized it would have been foolish to power up anywhere near his work site. He had only intended to be out for an hour or so, so he left his car with the excuse that he was running some nearby errands and the parking lot behind the pharmacy was the safest place to leave it. It had been an easy sell.
He’d made his way to the park to power up; he had thought he’d been thorough in checking to make sure he was alone, but the moment he powered up, he realized that there was an order signature—a strong one—right on top of him.
Or, at least, near enough that he hadn’t been able to tell the difference.
In a split second, he had to make a decision. Run, powered? Power down and hope he didn’t see the civilian there?
Or…
Talking was always his strong point.
He ignored the pounding heart in his chest and called with a surprisingly even voice, “Is that a Knight out there? I’m looking for you. I wish to have words. Civilized words. Can you spare a moment?”
Amesite held his breath in the silence, hands clenched at his side as he waited.
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 5:31 pm
Whisler made his way towards the voice, eyebrows raised. “It is indeed a knight out there. And you’re a little nega, hm? Civilized words? I’ll believe you when the conversation is over, and not a moment before.”
He was slightly cautious, but quite curious…and even more curious when he saw the lieutenant. He was quite attractive and that hair. Whisler did have such a weakness for long hair. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that you’re new to this. Most lieutenants wouldn’t have the balls to call out a knight on the best of days, so. Tell me. What is it you want to talk about, little nega? What questions can I answer for you? Are you perhaps having doubts about your position? Perhaps that’s why you’re so brave to seek me out.”
He felt tired. He was tired. Powering up was exhausting, and he knew he only really did it with the hopes of seeing Ashanite. But the likelyhood of that was…well. Slim to none.
“Talk away. Or, Word away, whatever you prefer.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 5:38 pm
Amesite pressed his lips together in a quaint smile, scanning the Knight’s appearance quickly.
“‘Little’, not so much, I’m afraid. But ‘new’, yes. Though, please don’t confuse my inexperience with ignorance. I know full well what a Knight is capable of, but still, I wish to speak with you. You are, by far, the most pleasant looking Knight I’ve encountered.”
He extended a hand and stood tall, proud. “My name is Amesite. Before I ‘word away’ at you, I think introductions are in order.” He took a few deliberate seconds to allow his eyes to roam over Whisler’s body before he met his gaze again. “It would be a shame not to have a name to match that face.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 6:46 pm
Whisler raised an eyebrow, then grinned, holding out his hand and taking Amesite’s giving a firm shake. “Whisler. Knight of Polaris. At your service, Amesite. I do suppose you’re not so little, but I’m very glad to have been right about you being new. As I said, most lieutenants who seek out knights are either new, have a death wish, are stupid, or want out. Which, well. I completely understand and I would be more than happy to help you get out, if that’s your desire.”
He gave a wink, having given his own appraisal of the teal haired nega and very, very much liking what he saw.
“I could even offer you a place to stay while you rebuild your life, if you wanted. I have to say, I’m a fantastic cook, so you wouldn’t ever go hungry if you ended up living with me. I think it’s a pretty good deal, what do you think?”
It was worth a shot. He knew it would be a no. It was always a no with the attractive ones…but he was at least a little honor bound to try. Right?
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 6:55 pm
Amesite laughed and shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I’m not looking to change sides. I’ve had a thoroughly pleasant experience so far. And I don’t think I am eager to die, stupid, or want out. I’m just curious, Whisler. It would be foolish not to take note of all resources available to me. I’m not blind to the fact that anyone could be feeding me lies. Hearing from both sides is wise, isn’t it?”
It was a rhetorical question. “I only needed to find a Knight willing to actually speak with me.”
This was going well, so far, and if things started to go bad apparently all he had to do was say that he was thinking about purifying. Apparently.
“You seem a friendly sort, Whisler. Pray tell, why are you so willing to talk to me? To offer me into your home and cook for me, even? I can’t imagine you make that offer to all Agents. Or, that all Knights would even consider such hospitality?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 7:34 pm
“Hm. I figured as much.” Whisler almost sounded a little annoyed, but shrugged. “It’s a pity though. We could have had such fun, you and I. At least, you seem like my type. Guess we’ll never know now.”
He sighed and draped himself against a tree, watching Amesite with a slightly more remote expression. “But, I am still willing to speak with you. I suppose I have a slightly soft spot for new little brainwashed soldiers of the Negaverse. You’re still untainted enough to be saved and so you should be given a chance, at least that’s how I see things. Now, as you grow, the chaos grows too and let’s face it, eventually you just can’t be saved. No matter how much someone wants to save you.”
The knight grew quiet and looked away, thinking of Ashanite and silently cursing himself for a myriad of stupid decisions he had made. “Anyway. If you want to ask questions. Ask. And no, I’m not sure of many of us who would be so openly friendly with negas. I’m just a super great guy so, enjoy it.”
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 7:52 am
Amesite watched, taking in each of Whisler’s movements, all of his inflections.
“Never say ‘never’. I’m still learning. Maybe I’ll change my mind? But I’m more interested why you won’t change yours. ‘Brainwashed’, ‘untainted’. You want to ‘save’ me. From what? How are they brainwashing me, how will they taint me?”
Truly, Amesite didn’t think of it in such a way. He was curious, of course, but he’d been fighting to be the best all his life, and Cavansite had shown up and said she could help. A little recognition was all he wanted.
He moved closer to Whisler, crossing his arms over his chest and resting one shoulder against the tree as he looked at the Knight.
“How well do you know the Negaverse?”
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 8:04 am
Whisler took a moment to just look at the lieutenant, and finally he sighed. “Chaos taints you. The stronger you grow in the Negaverse…the more taint you get on your soul. The easier it becomes to justify killing and hurting others…you start to lose your grip on the world and you eventually will end up forgetting who you are. In a way. You’ll never be allowed to be just a normal person again, they’ll make you into something you’re not…and I don’t know. I feel as though…”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I know the Negaverse well enough, let’s just leave it at that. I know it enough to know that your best chance of leaving is now while you’re still new at this. While chaos only has a tiny toehold in your life…don’t let it consume you okay? I’d hate to have to kill you.”
Though he wasn’t sure he could. Or would. He wasn’t much of a killer…but he supposed if the right mood struck…
After all, he had killed before. Maybe. No that he could really remember but.
There you go.
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 8:15 am
Amesite seemed thoughtful but shrugged after a moment of mulling over Whisler’s words. “How can it make you something you’re not? I am still new to all this chaos, all this magic. I confess, all I do know is that since I’ve joined the Negaverse I’ve felt fulfilled. There was an emptiness in me, before. But it’s not there anymore. I have something to aspire to, something I can fulfill.”
He watched Whisler out of the corner of his eye when he asked, “Would you really kill me, though? What if I don’t turn out so bad? What if the Negaverse makes me a better person?”
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 8:22 am
Whisler shrugged. “If killing you stops you from becoming a monster who kills others…then yes. I’ll kill you. I’m not going to be shy about that…and it won’t. It’ll make you a murderer, and a liar, and someone who doesn’t give a damn for anyone or anything, and you’ll be evil. Wouldn’t you rather go and fulfill your…I don’t know. Purpose or whatever doing something good? Helping others? Saving lives and all that jazz?”
He rubbed halfheartedly at the glowing marks on his face, a habit that happened every time he was powered now. It wasn’t that he wanted them gone…no. It was.
“It’s better not to be tainted with chaos…you hurt less people if you’re on the good side…besides…have you ever seen a movie where the bad guys win? Clearly you’ve just been given the wrong opportunity, and clearly I should have found you first, you and I could have been saving the world together. Or something.”
It was a weak finish, but suddenly Whisler just felt tired. It was so hard talking about things you didn’t believe in. So hard to convince others about something you were less than convinced on yourself.
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 1:46 pm
“I save lives already,” Amesite mused; his attention was fully on Whisler again. “My day job,” he explained simply. He might not have been a doctor but he helped people, anyway. He could have been.
Maybe he should have been.
“I do have to ask, though. How are you so certain the Negaverse is bad? I don’t feel bad, when I powered up. I don’t regret anything. But you…”
His voice trailed off for a moment. “If I might venture a guess, I’d say you’re not giving me the full story.” It was easy for Amesite to turn on the sympathetic approach; he reached out a hand to rest atop Whisler’s arm. “Are you all right?”
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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:04 am
“Well if you save lives with your day job…don’t you think it’s pretty bad karma to be taking them with your side job? And you can’t tell me you’re not going to take lives…you always end up taking lives. It’s part of it all. Grabbing starseeds…hurting people, it’s just part of your life now…so if you wanted to go on saving lives…” He shrugged.
When the lieutenant touched him, it was all Whisler could do not to narrow his eyes. “I know what I’m saying is true, because I lived it. I was a part of the Negaverse, and I got out. It’s not worth it to let chaos consume you. It just really isn’t worth it. And yes, I’m fine now. Perfectly fine. Fantastic, really.”
He patted Amesite’s hand gently and flashed a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “And you could be too, you know. If you saved yourself now. I wouldn’t let you be on your own, I promise.”
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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:23 am
Amesite’s eyes lingered on Whisler’s for a moment. He wasn’t sure who the man was trying to convince—Amesite, or himself.
There was a part of him that thought Whisler was sincere, but there was a larger part that understood there was more going on than he knew.
But now he wanted to know.
He donned a sympathetic expression and placed his other hand atop of Whisler’s. “I have an ulterior motive for joining the Negaverse. And perhaps it is pretentious, but it’s not misguided. I’m good at what I do, I was top of my class.”
Second, actually. Always second.
“But there are things in this world that no medicine can cure, and some of the best researchers have walked hand in hand with danger to make their discoveries. I will not lie to you,” he lied, but he lied so well, “I don’t know what my path holds. I don’t know who might get hurt along the way. All I can say is that I do not plan to hurt anyone. I do not relish the idea of causing anyone pain. But. The Negaverse has resources I don’t have. There are crystals, in the Rift. On the outskirts of the village. And energy—potency.”
He was quiet for a moment, fingers tracing lightly along the back of Whisler’s hand. “A very dear friend of mine is very sick, and has been for a long time. I promise him I would find a way to help him.”
He had a far off look, like he was thinking deeply about something. His brows furrowed and he lowered his head. Softer, he added, “I’m running out of time, Whisler. I’m desperate. I can’t give up on this.”
He let it sink in for a moment and drew in a slow, shaky breath. “You have to understand,” he insisted, once more forcing his eyes to find Whisler’s. “You were in the Negaverse once. They have so many resources, so much untapped potential. What was it that made you want to leave, truly? Did you hurt someone?” He hesitated. “Did someone hurt you?”
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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:42 am
Whisler watched him for a few moments, silent. Then his eyes drifted to the fingers moving along his hand, sending stupidly powerful jolts of electricity through his arm. He was misguided. That was all this was. There was no hope to save anyone with any of the tools that the Negaverse provided…but he didn’t know that…and so he was just…misguided.
“I hope your friend gets well…but…I caution you to be careful. I…I don’t remember anything from when I was Mariposite…but last year? A few months ago…who even knows now, this thing happened and I got chaos inside of me and I started remembering some things—flashes, you know? Of things I did. And I saw a girl I killed…well, I’m sure I killed her, and she was a pretty thing, so it’s like, why would I want to kill her? I honestly would rather make out with her, you know?”
His voice lost all of its eloquence and for a moment, Whisler faltered. “I hope that’s what made me leave…but I really have no idea. I just know…that they’re bad.”
Rubbing at the glowing marks on his face once again, the knight shrugged. “They’re bad, and I can’t ever go back so. That’s that.”
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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:52 am
Amesite did not move away from Whisler. “I understand,” he said after a thoughtful moment. “But I can’t help but wonder: if you don’t remember, how do you know for sure? How much of what you know is what you know, and not what you’ve been conditioned to know? If you don’t remember your time in the Negaverse, anyone could have fed you lies. Anyone could have tried to manipulate you, to lie to you. Your concern is valid—I appreciate your caution.”
Only, Amesite’s mind was still trapped on one thing: he hadn’t asked if Whisler wanted to go back. Whisler had offered that, himself.
And, given the way this conversation was going, he wasn’t sure he trusted that, either.
“Mariposite, huh?” he questioned. “…That’s a beautiful name, though. Is it hard, to leave the Negaverse?”
He was grasping at straws here, but Whisler wasn’t going to attack. Probably. He didn’t know how much he could get away with. “…I bet people don’t trust you. Other Knights?” he suggested. “How many friends do you have that only stay around to keep an eye on you, to stop you if you don’t fit within their idea of a ‘Knight’? It must be frustrating, not knowing who you can trust. Or who really trusts you.”
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