~At It Again, She Be~

[Nyx]

Snow, snow, wonderful snow~ Oh how she loved snow, she did, yes she did, indeedy! Yes, the little chimera-child of RIOTE was running loose through the streets of Drachma. She knew none of the language, and had no idea why she was here other than that Hildy-Poo and Aurely wanted her there, but she looooooved the snow~ So she was giggling and running around, a pair of boots and a black jacket, poorly cut up for her wings, and her normal plain white dress. But soon she tired of just running around. She decided to do something else fun. Kiki HAD told her to train some, and she tried to make him happy, even if Hildy-Poo was prettier than him, and Aurly was... Well, Nyx just liked Aurly. She liked Kiki too, but not as much as Aurly, even if he was friendlier, and was around her more. Anyways, she decided to build a few little snowman's, and scribbled "Ahmestrickz" on some paper, which she pinned in the snowmen. Then, giggling still, she ran a few dozen feet away, and took Hemera to her hands, placing her quiver at her hip. She drew the first arrow to her bow, pulled back the string, and let the projectile fly. Archery was her best skill, and she was proud of her sniping, even if she wished she was as good at stuff as the rest of RIOTE. Almost everyone else was so great at combat! But Nyx's skills lay only in assassination, sniping, and such... Anyways, back to the arrow!

The silver streak was seen momentarily, before it stuck through the head of one of the snowmen, sending the snowball it hit flying a few feet away, before it smacked the ground and smashed. She'd attracted a few onlookers, as she hit the rest of them with flawless accuracy. She didn't mind the crowd, and they were pleased to have a nice little show for them. Feeling especially showmanny, Nyx decided to up the ante, and over the course of a good amount of time, shot apple's out of teeth, and off heads, split arrows with other arrows, and other things you might see at a carnival, or such. As she finished, the crowd applauded her, and she took a gracious bow, smiling ear to ear, bright-eyed. "Thank you, thank you! Hope you enjoyed!"

[Guest]

Drachma. A country covered with an eerie coldness, even without taking the snow into consideration. Then again, he had never been to Drachma, and though he knew a lot of facts pertaining to the place, he knew nothing of its geographical layout; The chimera chose to stay put in one place for as long as possible until doomsday finally arrived. That way he could stay out of harm's way and away from the eyes of most people. Though he normally donned black leather attire, he had switched to white in order to blend in with the snowy environment.

With his hood upon his head, he sat in the shade of a tree, completely unaffected by the cold. Not too far away he could hear the happy giggles of a young girl, who, as far as he knew, was here for the very same reason, though he couldn't be sure of her exact motives. She was playing in the show, it seemed, something that the overly tall male couldn't quite wrap his mind around. He knew that children had a tendency to "play", but the concept was all too alien to him as someone who grew up without the experience of a proper childhood.

The small girl switched from innocent play to target practice; Daemon could hear the sound of her arrows flying through the air and knocking snow around. Footsteps indicated that there were people around who came to watch, and given that the snow nullified most natural smells, each individual's scent could be picked out, ranging from the small girl with the bow herself to an older male who had stopped to watch. Daemon did not shy away from crowds because of an anti-social disposition, but due to his own knowledge, which told him that it would be advantageous to stay away from the most crowded areas. He was easily noticeable in crowds due to his unnatural height, and he wanted to be in a location where he could easily get to where he was needed. That was how his mind worked; Daemon's choices were not connected to emotions, but to logic.

Applause. It seemed there were no more targets for the girl to strike.

"Thank you, thank you! Hope you enjoyed!"

Amestrian? From what Daemon could gather, not many Drachmans were well versed in Amestrian, which was confirmed by the crowds confused reaction. He knew that it might cause problems for his and the girl's presence (and consequently, RIOTE's presence) should the Drachman people doubt their ability to let this small, Amestrian chimera flutter around in their country. In an effort to prevent any future catastrophe, Daemon stood up and moved to the front of the tree, where he could be seen by the natives, who grew silent and turned to look at the tall, cloaked man. Removing his hood, he spoke at a rather slow pace.

"She says thank you, and hopes you enjoyed the show..." Some of the onlookers began to walk away, satisfied and thinking that there was not much else to see here. They did not think Daemon's height was threatening, as the country contained many men who would be considered tall; Though he was still much taller than most. After a short pause, he spoke in the direction of the girl, but did not look directly at her - He was too far away to know her exact location, as his lack of eyes left him without one of his senses.

"...You should be cautious... We don't know if any of these people might be a threat.... Master Aurelius...and the rest of us... our operation...could be compromised..."

Some of the civilians still remained, and in an effort to shoo them away, he added, "...The girl is with me..." His near flawless accent was what convinced them that this was no stranger to the country, and felt it safe enough to leave the area. Daemon sat back down under the tree, listening as the last of the footsteps and the smells accompanying them faded into the distance.

[Nyx]

Nyx was standing there, taking her bows, not really noticing that most of the crowd understood none of what she said. Amestrian wasn't common in Drachma, but she still needed to learn Drachman! She knew absolutely none of the language, though she was starting to pick up a few words here and there. Of course she was still learning Xingese, the hard way of course. She'd really meant it when she told herself that she had to learn what Ms. Jeu-Hee and Mr. Guy were saying. And Nyx was obviously proud of herself for it! It is quite an accomplishment for a girl her age and mindset to go about an attempt to become multilingual! But the point is that at that very moment in time, she was lost as to what Drachman was, and could only read Xingese to an extent. Oy...

But Nyx then heard some guy talking in Drachman, and people nodding and such, as if understanding, before walking away. So Nyx assumed he'd explained what she said for her. Smiling, she began to walk a little closer to him, trying to see who he was, and who should she spy but Daemon, otherwise called Erebus of RIOTE? So she grinned. She heard him out for what he had to say also, and spoke after he finished, in that giggling-ly cheerful voice she possessed outside of serious matters. "Sorry Dae-Dae~ I know I'm supposed to stay on the down-low, but that's so boring... I think Aurly just wants us to keep quiet in Amestris, since that's where everyone hates us so much. I don't really know WHY they hate us there, but for some reason they do. I guess all of them are stupidhead alchemists, hm? Besides, I was just practicing and some people gathered around. I always practice in public. No reason I shouldn't." And she finished her sentence with a smile, even though Daemon couldn't see it.

[Guest]

Footsteps. It seemed that the girl, known as Nyx, was now making her way over to Daemon, but he remained as still as a statue in the shadow of the tree. When she spoke, he listened closely and began analyzing her words.

"Sorry Dae-Dae~"

...Dae-Dae? A nickname was meant to portray affection, if he remembered correctly. He had no objections to any name used to refer to him, as long as they didn't hinder him from performing his duties...which they didn't. Names are merely used for identification purposes. There was no way that something so small would cause any harm.

"I know I'm supposed to stay on the down-low, but that's so boring... I think Aurly just wants us to keep quiet in Amestris, since that's where everyone hates us so much. I don't really know WHY they hate us there, but for some reason they do. I guess all of them are stupidhead alchemists, hm?"

Amestris. Daemon's last encounter with Amestrians entailed the one he fought under slaughtering Amestrians (and vice versa) until a verbal encounter led them to flee the scene. In truth, he had no opinion on the matter, but after that time is when Aurelius found him, changing the chimera's way of thinking (if ever so slightly). If Amestris was still an enemy, so be it, but all he knew was that their current plans were centered on this particular location, and as such should be treated as highest priority.

"Besides, I was just practicing and some people gathered around. I always practice in public. No reason I shouldn't."

Practicing in public? It was true, there was no particular reason why she shouldn't practice her aim in public, given that nothing happened yet, but Daemon was not one to leave things to chance. Any type of behavior that might instigate a negative reaction when it's not yet needed was considered a hazard in his mind. As he knew that reading the minds of other people was not possible, any of them could be a part of the state, under the Czar, Loki, and thus potential enemies to RIOTE. It was a risk that was best avoided to ensure the success of the takeover. All he had to do now was convey these thoughts to the girl that could be considered his comrade, colleague, co-worker, or whichever was the most fitting term.

"...Some of these people...could work for Loki..."

A short pause.

"...We would not know...and if they find us suspicious....it could cause trouble...for Master Aurelius..." To Nyx, he probably seemed to have an "Aurel-complex"...which was partly true, but it was more a desire to serve him properly than anything else. Daemon didn't know what else there could be to life other than to serve a higher power.

[Nyx]

Nyx nodded in understanding at what Daemon said, before noticing that he couldn't see her, to which she responded by noting her understanding verbally. "Well, okay. I guess I should practice in private then, if it helps Aurly. I would never ever want anything to happen to him, or Hildy-poo. I'd kill for them, or be killed for them if I had to..." It was true, and not just true, but obvious. Her and Daemon were very alike in their undying loyalty. Both of them lived only to serve the leaders of RIOTE, or in Daemon's case, just Aurel. And in Nyx's case, both, though Hild especially. Nyx stared at him thoughtfully for a few moments after she responded to his advice. "...Um, Dae-Dae... Is it hard being y'know... Blind and all? Like, is it hard to do a lot of stuff? Sorry if I'm being too nosy and all, but just wondering..."

[Guest]

She understood. That much was certain, and definitely a good thing. Now they would be able to carry on waiting without too much trouble....or potential trouble, to be more accurate. A gentle breeze caused a rustling in the tree, and some loose snowflakes touched Daemon's pale cheek. He was sitting with both of his legs out, but one of them was bent at the knee. His back rested against the trunk of the tree. It seemed that Nyx and Daemon were alike, as he would kill or be killed for Aurelius without a second thought. This was only partly a loyalty issue with the tall chimera, as most of it was the morality that had been drilled into him from a very young age. He was taught that killing or dying for one's master was all there was to life, all there was to his existence.

"...Um, Dae-Dae... Is it hard being y'know... Blind and all? Like, is it hard to do a lot of stuff? Sorry if I'm being too nosy and all, but just wondering..."

Difficult? No, he didn't think it was very difficult, and cared not about his own lack of vision. "...I wouldn't know the difference, sounded his rough, almost metallic voice, "I was never able to see, I was blind at birth. Not having eyes just makes focusing on the important things simpler....I can hear and smell and sense most things better than someone who can see, so it makes no difference to me."

It was the truth; As most people with a handicap of the sort, the other senses are heightened to compensate, not to mention he was a chimera. Those two factors caused his senses to grow increasingly better than anyone could have hoped for.

[Nyx]

Nyx nodded again, as he explained it. "Well that's good then. Well, not that you're blind or nothing, but that it's not hard on you. I like you Dae-Dae. I wouldn't want anything bad like that for you." Smiling and laughing, she thought a bit. It made sense that since he was born blind, he wouldn't know seeing. But that seemed a bit unfair to her. Why should he not be able to see? Though he did have his other senses to make up for it, she still wondered how it was that he would never know what the world looked like... Maybe it was the inner child in her, or just her compassionate self, but she wondered if she could do anything to get him the ability to see... Even if it was a bit silly, seeing as he would've done something for his blindness had it been his will. Nyx then sat down next to him, near the tree, done thinking. She was tempted to unfold her wings, but didn't want to attract stares. Oh how she hated them so... Marks of her curse, of that man, the one that made her what she was...

[Guest]

"Well that's good then. Well, not that you're blind or nothing, but that it's not hard on you. I like you Dae-Dae. I wouldn't want anything bad like that for you."

Laughter. Laughter denoted a positive disposition, which in turn meant that the girl was pleased by Daemon's response to her question. Satisfied. Happy. Relieved. Any of those could have been used to describe Nyx, but Daemon was a situational analyst, not a psychological one.

...Like?.... To "like" something was to have some sort of preference for it. It was also used to denote similarity between two or more things, to compare them. However, in context, it was likely the former. If she really had a preference for him, was that a positive thing?

Daemon was beginning to think about these things...but trying to be analytic led to the situation making even less sense than before; He was raised as a weapon, and was taught only to think if it helped him to complete his tasks in a timely and efficient manner. The behavior exhibited by this girl was only something he'd been taught briefly, as they felt it unnecessary for him to know. Now that he was witnessing such behavior first-hand, he knew that the knowledge would have served him well. Then again, he was also told that personality would be detrimental to his success as the Prime Minister's underling. Thinking about it now, did different rules apply now that he was under the jurisdiction of Aurelius? It was a possibility.

"...Nuh........N-Nyxie," he stuttered, unable to properly voice his next question, "...What....is...i-is a person....good or b-bad....is... is a p-person-nality important?" The fact that he had been told to keep quiet unless it was absolutely necessary made it difficult for him to speak now; He was fighting himself at this point, fighting his natural impulses that he gained from being in such a strict, demanding environment for those 20-some years.

[Nyx]

Nyx was a bit confused as to Daemon's stuttering, but she put it off her mind for the moment, and smiled as she answered his question, pleased especially at the name Nyxie, which she found adorable. " Like, are people good or bad? I don't think so. Everyone does what they do, really, and it's not up to anyone to judge what is bad about them. So I think that everyone's good, in their way. Though I can't really say that without some bias, since I hate alchemists. Though, they really don't count as people in my opinion... And is a personality important? I think so. What would anyone be without one? They would just be a walking bag of bones, and that's boiring... So why all the questions, Dae-Dae?" She smiled, satisfied with her explanations. She honestly didn't understand why he was asking such funny questions, or why he was stuttering, but she figured it was something she didn't need to know, or such.

[Guest]

Once again, the response that the tall chimera received seemed cryptic at first.

" Like, are people good or bad? I don't think so. Everyone does what they do, really, and it's not up to anyone to judge what is bad about them. So I think that everyone's good, in their way. Though I can't really say that without some bias, since I hate alchemists. Though, they really don't count as people in my opinion..."

According to Nyx, good and bad were subjective terms, and as such, it would be impossible for Daemon to apply them. At this point, he was incapable of thinking subjectively. Whether that would be beneficial to his life serving in RIOTE or not, he would have to find out later, when the mission was being carried out. His objective way of thinking had kept him alive and successful so far, but he wouldn't know if that would change until something happened that proved otherwise.

"And is a personality important? I think so. What would anyone be without one? They would just be a walking bag of bones, and that's boring..."

There it was, something that proved his objective thinking was not always the most efficient way to approach things. It seemed that the men at the facility (he had no other way of referring to is, as he knew nothing of its name or what it really was) had trained him into a one-track mind. To be more accurate, they programmed him to think objectively at all costs.

"So why all the questions, Dae-Dae?"

His mind switched back from it's unnatural pattern to his accustomed analytical thought process, and, in turn, changed his speech pattern to its original, emotionless state.

"...Nyxie... If personality is important, than that would make me unimportant. Insignificant. I was trained to think objectively, and that also included tossing away any subjective or opinionated thinking as well as things such as liking and feeling sorrow. I'm incapable of doing that. All I know to do is complete my mission as instructed and to react if the situation changes in a way where it will affect my mission. I ask these questions so that I might gain a better understanding of the situation here with RIOTE, and as a result, comprehend my role quickly."

[Nyx]

Nyx stared a little blankly at Daemon. He was using an awful lot of great big words Nyx never heard of before... She blinked. Maybe once she learned Xingese and Drachman, she should learn Daemonese... Or at least, some big fancy words that made her sound smarter. At any rate, the little girl chimera smiled. Taking from some context clues, she figured out what some of his words meant and responded accordingly. "Dae-Dae, that's just stupid. You are important! And you DO have a personality, you just have a funny way of showing it! And I'm going to prove it. Wait here." And grinning quite Nyxishly, she darted off to a Drachman mall, and within 10-15 minutes, had returned with an assortment of foods, CD's, a CD player, and a small basket. Within the basket was a pile of candy of various flavors. Grinning, she turned to Daemon. "We're going to find out what kind of things you like, first! Try some of these foods and the candy and tell me which ones are good and which ones are bad. That way, we can see what kind of foods you like to eat. Because stuff like that is part of your personality!~"

[Guest]

"Dae-Dae, that's just stupid. You are important! And you DO have a personality, you just have a funny way of showing it! And I'm going to prove it. Wait here."

...Daemon waited as instructed. While waiting, he thought about RIOTE's plans for Drachma. He had no set orders as of yet, but he knew that they would come in time. It was just something that he knew by instinct, even if he had been left without orders once before - and ONLY once before. The time it took for the girl to return had no effect on him, and he remained as still as before as she approached. He could smell the foods and the sugary tendency of what was likely candy.

"We're going to find out what kind of things you like, first! Try some of these foods and the candy and tell me which ones are good and which ones are bad. That way, we can see what kind of foods you like to eat. Because stuff like that is part of your personality!~"

"....Since this seems to be important, I'll participate in this....test of yours." Daemon held out his hand in her general direction and waited for her to hand him something. Ideally, this would be over quickly, since they didn't know when everything was supposed to be happening. "However, given the situation, this test should be concluded as soon as possible to allow ample opportunity for my liege to issue orders."

[Nyx]

Nyx grinned and began her 'testing' so to speak. She first placed into the hands of Daemon a pickle. Yes, a pickle. Sourest of foods, most securely defended as well, in the dreaded jar of pickles. Nyx didn't deal with that, for she obtained her pickly produce from a street vendor, where the guy there had to open the jars. He broke them with a hammer, because it's impossible otherwise. "Okay, here's a pickle. Tell me if you like how it tastes." Smiling, she awaited his response.

This test carried on for some time indeed. By the time the testing was done, Nyx had subjected him to the pickle, some salty ham, fatback, an ice cream sandwich, a club sandwich, a burger, bacon, candy corn, Warheads, Skittles, M & M's, turkey, and a deep fried Mars bar. Also, a box of Twinkies, though she ate most of them. Then, as the second part of her fool-proof test, she played music. This time, she wanted to see if he would recognize horrible things from good things. CD's played were Michael Jackson, The Bee Gees, Elvis, Eminem, and the like. But slipped in were Justin Bieber, Rebecca Black, and Paris Hilton. Just to see if he would pick them out as evil...

[Guest]

"Okay, here's a pickle. Tell me if you like how it tastes."

...A pickle? Like? The concept was as alien to Daemon as lederhosen to a young African child. Despite this, the chimera took a bite out of the vegetable anyway. It tasted sour and he knew that the reason was the vinegar and the aging process, but he could not develop any feelings of preference for it. He shrugged and finished it off. To him, food was not a thing to hold any preference for, but something to consume for the sole reason that it was necessary to survival. Once that was over with, he was subjected to yet another food. Salted pork. It was possible that this second attempt was more successful than the first as Daemon noticed an increase in saliva production in his mouth. This occurred any time he ate meat, whether it was raw or cooked (he once had to live off of nothing but raw foods for a month). Next was something that tasted like pork fat. Thereafter he was fed an ice cream sandwich, a club sandwich, a burger, bacon, candy corn, Warheads, Skittles, M & M's, turkey, and a deep fried Mars bar. The sugary foods were all new to him, as he was never fed candy, he'd only heard of what it was.

This next part of the test involved music. Daemon sat, stoic, through all of it. "I'm not sure what you had hoped to accomplish, but I have nothing to say about any of these things except that sugar is probably not the best thing to eat, as the energy it supplies is only temporary and can leave an individual drained afterward...N-not that I would r-really kn-know since I've n-never had s-sugar..."

[Nyx]

Nyx went through the tests happily, grinning excitedly the whole way through. She had a good feeling about her idea, and felt it would work. So it is no surprise that when she met failure, she would respond as any child would in this situation. She got frustrated. So she was borderline-pouting. "You didn't have anything to say about ANY of it? Except that sugar is only temptary? Dae-Daaae..." She searched deeply through her thoughts. What did Daemon care about? He might have mentioned something before... Nyx thought back but the only thing he said was stuff about Aurel! THAT DIDN'T HELP!! Nyx scowled, and thought deeper... And deeper... Like she was drilling for diamonds... Through the Earth's core... All the way to Xing... Wait... AUREL! Nyx snapped her fingers and grinned. She had an idea! "Okay, okay, maybe food and music was dumb. Buuuut~ You like Aurly, right? That's a like! That's personality! Right? Is there anything about Aurly you especially like? Liiiike... Something he does, something he says, the things he does..." And Nyx grinned, believing she had cracked the proverbial egg of Daemon's personality, that would became a great big Daemon omlet! ...Okay... Bad metaphor... It wouldn't do for her to fry Daemon with cheese... But still, she had broken his personality free, she sung in her mind!

[Guest]

"You didn't have anything to say about ANY of it? Except that sugar is only temptary? Dae-Daaae..."

There was a hint of annoyance in the girl's voice. Annoyance could lead to hostility, and hostility among team members was detrimental to any operation. The only exception would be an operation that required the targets to think that its enemies were arguing among themselves, which could be a useful distraction. However, since that was not the case with the current situation, Daemon would have to watch his next move.

"Okay, okay, maybe food and music was dumb. Buuuut~ You like Aurly, right? That's a like! That's personality! Right? Is there anything about Aurly you especially like? Liiiike... Something he does, something he says, the things he does..."

Like? Aurelius? On the outside, the chimera knew that he lacked any TRUE emotion, given that he had experienced many things without reacting emotionally to any of them. However, on deeper examination, the girl may have made some sense. Despite the fact that his initial attachment to Aurelius was one of Master and servant, the man could tell that his behavior was slightly different than before. The problem was that he couldn't pinpoint what exactly had changed or why it could be that way.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I do have personality, but I know for a fact that whatever was there before was lost along the way. If I do have any personality, or had any personality, it's long gone. I can't tell you what happened to it, but it's not where it used to be." There was complete truth in his words. He didn't know what happened to whatever personality and emotions he had, but they were gone now, forced away by the facility workers that spent time with him.

[Nyx]

Nyx beamed at Daemon, more or less as if the radiance of her constant smiling would be detected when his sight could not see her face. "Well then, if you lost your emotions, I guess we just have to find them again!~ Hmm... But how would we DO that...? Okay, so... I get the feeling you feel happy when Aurel's around, right? Or at least, you feel different in a good way or something." Nyx was thinking really hard then. She was only a little child, so it was a little tricky for her to think of how to define his emotions and see if she could sort of reinstate them into his head. "And if Aurel got hurt, you'd probably feel sad. That's that sinking feeling like something's missing inside you. And then you'd probably feel angry at whoever did it, which is like a sort of burning feeling in you that makes you want to break stuff or kill people... Hmm, let's see... I don't know if you love anyone, per say, but you like Aurel, it sounds. So however you feel about when someone is talking about Aurel, then that is liking something. And when you dislike something, it always makes you angry or annoyed when you hear about it, like everyone that wants to destroy RIOTE. You get what I'm saying?" With a hopefully triumphant grin, she figured she'd cracked his shell, and finally figured him out, if he'd only understand her points...

[Guest]

{BUMP}

[Guest]

"Well then, if you lost your emotions, I guess we just have to find them again!~ Hmm... But how would we DO that...? Okay, so... I get the feeling you feel happy when Aurel's around, right? Or at least, you feel different in a good way or something."

Feel...Feel different? Happy? No. Impossible. Such things were trivial, insignificant, unnecessary, unforgivable. Daemon could remember his earlier tasks, which he completed without problems. There was never any praise, just more work. His initial satisfaction, which came with completing said tasks, no longer existed. What was there to be "happy" about? This foreign feeling that Nyx spoke of - the tall, blind chimera had no true use for it...did he? That's how he had been trained, created, conditioned. Day after day he had fought his way through everything, and there was no need for anything except his will to survive. Happy? Impossible. Happiness was superficial, as was everything else. All there was to living was to serve a higher purpose, and that was it. Nothing else mattered, nothing at all. Nyx must not have been taught the important things....or was it the reverse? No, he was right. He had survived. Then...why had Nyx? She had survived so far, even with her subjective comments and thoughts and her erratic behaviors.

"And if Aurel got hurt, you'd probably feel sad. That's that sinking feeling like something's missing inside you. And then you'd probably feel angry at whoever did it, which is like a sort of burning feeling in you that makes you want to break stuff or kill people..."

Saddness, yet another one of those trivial things. He had no use for that, either. Daemon recalled the grueling tasks he had to complete in his earlier years. The obstacle courses. In his blind state, he had to endure burning, stabbing, and much more. Tears...he had shed them before, but now they had become obsolete. The woman who aimed to keep him away from what he had become...she had vanished, but the man's instincts told him that she was likely no longer alive. They had a complicated relationship, and as perplexing as it may have been, he could not care to think about the reasons for her actions or why he thought she may have been important at some point. It didn't matter. SHE didn't matter. In fact, he would make it a point to forget - forget everything that connected him to emotional responses, behaviors, and thoughts. He would toss them aside, bury them, the way he had buried his emotions, and keep on surviving this way. He had to. It was...it wasn't for his own sake. It was for the sake of his master, his leader, Aurelius. That was his purpose.

"Hmm, let's see... I don't know if you love anyone, per say, but you like Aurel, it sounds. So however you feel about when someone is talking about Aurel, then that is liking something. And when you dislike something, it always makes you angry or annoyed when you hear about it, like everyone that wants to destroy RIOTE. You get what I'm saying?"

...No. Why was this causing him to over-think things so much? This...this girl, Nyx. Why? He didn't understand. None of this matched up with what he had learned. None of it. In a sense it did, as he knew all the objectives, the facts surrounding these concepts, but they were merely definitions - phrases meant to illustrate these concepts. His thoughts grew erratic as memories surfaced that he had originally wanted to destroy. This was wrong. This couldn't be happening. No; It SHOULDN'T be happening.

"...No....Why?" A growl escaped his lips, and it was directed at Nyx. "I wanted...I wanted to erase them...those people, those memories...but you..." Daemon thrust a gloved hand into the snow, clawing the cold, white substance, pulling it into a lump. He growled once more. "I don't understand how or why you're doing this...Why? Nyx, why are you doing this to me?" He recalled the nights that he spent, silent sobs and tears running along his face. Then the woman's face entered his mind, and her distressed behavior when she was promised things that never came to be - she had been lied to, and Daemon knew that likely meant those same people had been lying to him this entire time.

"Those...those people...they're all liars, aren't they," he muttered, "They lied to me...was anything they told me true?" The pace of his breathing increased, and clouds of precipitation escaped his mouth. He was mentally lost, knowing that all he had been taught was likely completely wrong. Sheltered by the cruel scientists that were responsible for the same kind of individuals as in the creation of Fuhrer Bradley all those years ago. His breathing slowed back to its normal pace, and he released his grip on the now melted chunk of snow.

"...I don't know what to think anymore, Nyx. They were all liars, the lot of them, and I don't know what was true and what wasn't. My life is a lie. Why am I even here if everything I know and live is a complete lie?" A multitude of emotions were raging inside of him, ever so slightly, but he was pushing them away, hiding them, just as he did so many years ago. It was a habit, almost an addiction. Shaking his head, he stood up and began to walk; He had no true destination, and it made him dizzy, but he needed to walk. He cared not if Nyx followed him, he was too disoriented and lacked any sense of mental stability. Deep down he had known, for quite some time, that those people were dishonest, but he'd been hiding it from himself for so long...

[Nyx]

Nyx was taken aback by his response. She back up a few steps, and purely out of reflex from his sudden angry tones, her hand flickered to Hemera for a moment, until she realized it was Daemon, not some attacking intruder. Did she do something wrong? Why was he yelling at her? What DID she do to him? Nyx's lower lip was starting to tremble a bit. She was afraid, not that he was going to hurt her or anything, because she didn't believe he even could hurt her, seeing as she figured they were friends, family even. She was moreso afraid that SHE had hurt HIM with her words. She didn't understand HOW she did this, but she thought she might have. He seemed so mad...

"I... I... I don't know! I just wanted to help... I'm s-sorry..." She was actually on the verge of tears. What had she done to upset him so much? She heard him mumbling. Stuff about liars. That took her back... Gregory. He was the biggest liar she could think of. Maybe Daemon was talking about people like him. Sick, twisted freaks that had nothing better to do than pick on people that couldn't do anything about it, people who trusted them, just to find out how backstabbed they were from the very beginning. Oh yeah. Nyx knew all about liars. Realizing that what she had done was drag up memories, bad ones, she calmed down a bit. Then she heard the last bit he said, about how his whole life was a lie, and that was when Nyx got really mad. She moved to stand in front of Daemon, stopping him from walking away and glared daggers at him.

"Daemon! How dare you even SAY that!? Your life IS not, CAN not, and HAS NEVR BEEN a lie! That's just... Just, ignorant! Any fool can say their life's a lie! My life's a lie, if you go on that! I don't even know my real NAME! I don't know who I AM! But I don't go around living in the past, or hiding from itr! And neither. Will. YOU! Your life is NOT a lie, and I know that for a fact! If you believe evwerything you did was a lie, then what about everything good in your life? What about joining RIOTE, working for Aurel? Are you just going to say 'That's a lie too'? No, you aren't! You're going to SUCK IT UP and STOP LYING TO YOURSELF! Got it!?"

Her face was red, and she had every reason to be mad. One of the few things that set Nyx off in this world is someone who can't accept the truth of the world. Daemon was getting on her nerves big time with the whole everything is a lie game, and she had to put a stop to it. That was when she noticed a droplet of liquid on her nose, that she wondered about, until she noticed that she was crying...

[Guest]

He had not gone very far before he heard the girl's footsteps, and they stopped in front of him, causing him to stop himself.

"Daemon! How dare you even SAY that!? Your life IS not, CAN not, and HAS NEVR BEEN a lie! That's just... Just, ignorant! Any fool can say their life's a lie! My life's a lie, if you go on that! I don't even know my real NAME! I don't know who I AM!"

His heart...it skipped a beat. Daemon put a hand to his chest, unsure of himself. She...Nyx was upset? He could feel the tension in the air as though it were pressing him into the ground. What was this feeling? What was it that she had said before...sadness? Was that it? He...he wasn't sure.

"But I don't go around living in the past, or hiding from itr! And neither. Will. YOU! Your life is NOT a lie, and I know that for a fact! If you believe evwerything you did was a lie, then what about everything good in your life? What about joining RIOTE, working for Aurel? Are you just going to say 'That's a lie too'? No, you aren't! You're going to SUCK IT UP and STOP LYING TO YOURSELF! Got it!?"

...A smell. It smelled salty, almost like sweat, but without the other odors that came with it. No...he knew that smell. It was the smell of tears. Lifting a hand, he slowly placed it on the small girl's head.

"Don't cry, Nyxie..." Rubbing her head, he took a deep breath. She was concerned about him, and she had even started crying. If this had such a strong effect on such a small girl, then this was definitely not something to toss aside so easily. He had learned about the emotional sensitivity of children, but he could feel her frustration and despair by just being near her. "...Nyx...I don't know anything else. I'm a tool, made for killing. Those scientists did more to me than just turn me into a monster. Everything I've become is a result of my past. I can't just throw that away, or I might become nothing, a nameless creature on this planet." He took his hand off of her head and turned back around. "...RIOTE....is not a lie...It's as real as it gets, and I don't want to be caught unawares while I carry the title of Erebus."

Approaching the tree, he sat back down.

"...One more thing...a name is only as important as you make it out to be...that's something that I was told...but you know, I still hold on to my name. I know who I am. The only thing I don't know is WHAT I am."

[Nyx]

Nyx wiped the tears from her eyes. She had no idea why she was crying. It could have been from anger and frustration, from the saddening despair reeking from Daemon, or from cutting along the scars of old wounds of her own memories. Then, about to turn and leave, not thinking Daemon would have a change of heart, she heard him tell her not to cry, and place a hand on her head.

"I never said to throw that away. That's part of you. We all have to bear our crosses through life. But life isn't a straight line. A styraight line is when the heart stops beating, a flatliner. Life is like the thing on those machines at a hospital. It has its flat spots, its ups, and its downs. If it was straight, you might as well be dead. If it was straight up, you would have a heart attack, and if it was straight down, your heart would implode. It has to go all three ways. And that's okay." She smiled a bit. She then heard out his statements on RIOTE, and grinned at him. "That's right. And Erebus can't do anything when he's avoiding his life. RIOTE needs you to come out of your depression, or your comfort zone, so you can be the best Erebus you can be!"

She followed him back to the tree, and sat down under it, listening to what he had to say. "Yeah, that's right... A name doesn't make a person... And I think I know who you are." She smiled and looked up at him. " You're the best, coolest person I know. You're like my best friend, y'know?"

[Guest]

{BUMP}

[Guest]

"I never said to throw that away. That's part of you. We all have to bear our crosses through life. But life isn't a straight line. A styraight line is when the heart stops beating, a flatliner. Life is like the thing on those machines at a hospital. It has its flat spots, its ups, and its downs. If it was straight, you might as well be dead. If it was straight up, you would have a heart attack, and if it was straight down, your heart would implode. It has to go all three ways. And that's okay."

Well...Daemon, for lack of eyesight and experience with hospital equipment, was unable to understand the comparison that Nyx presented. Regardless, he was able to pick up on the important parts of her statement. Life was never meant to be straightforward. The chimera understood that simple concept from experience, given that he grew without eyesight. That in itself was no longer straightforward, as he had to find ways to get around his handicap - which he had - in order to function properly. All that aside, it was clear that Nyx had her own share of experiences contributing to her understanding of how life works. He could pick that up just by listening to the way she spoke about the subject.

"That's right. And Erebus can't do anything when he's avoiding his life. RIOTE needs you to come out of your depression, or your comfort zone, so you can be the best Erebus you can be!"

Daemon chuckled involuntarily. Wait...chuckled? That was completely out of character for him...it seemed that Nyx had done a little more than was obvious at first with her attempts at coaxing his personality out of its hiding place. Unsure of what had occurred inside of him, Daemon paused for a moment and continued to listen to the rest of what the small girl had to say.

"Yeah, that's right... A name doesn't make a person... And I think I know who you are. You're the best, coolest person I know. You're like my best friend, y'know?"

"...Best...friend?"

Daemon sat up, taken aback by her last statement. Best friend? They hardly knew each other, though...and the fact that she said he was the "best, coolest person" that she knew made him think - he'd been doing a lot of thinking recently - and he had to let out another chuckle.

"...I don't know about being the best, coolest person...or about being a friend to anyone...but thank you, Nyx....I.....I guess I can try to be a better friend to you, a better person....a better Erebus for RIOTE."

Patting the small girl on the head, he stood up to walk through the streets of Drachma - Now was the time for him to begin thinking about what that change would mean, how he might be able to go through with that change, and what the consequences might be. He had to do it....for Nyx.

[EXIT THREAD]

[Nyx]

Nyx smiled and nodded. "Yep, you are my best friend. After Hildy and Aurly anyways. But you beat everyone else! Which has to count for something!~ You even beat Nicky and Mr. Ace. And Nicky saved me from a dirty old man with candy." She nodded to reassure him of that fact, whether or not he was able to see the nod. Nonetheless, she meant every word she said. She then heard Daemon chuckle, which sounded strange coming from him, even if Nyx hadn't known him too long. But in a good way. Nyx giggled some herself actually, and listened as he told her how he would try to be a better person and stuff. He then patted her on the head and walked away. Nyx grinned and, feeling success that she had helped him with his internal struggles, if even the slightest bit, began to also go her own ways, confident they would see each other again, very soon. "Bye Dae-Dae! See you later!~"

[exit thread]

[Sponsored content]