|
|
Post by SilverThorn on Jun 1, 2016 6:58:00 GMT
She was watching him intently, mainly because of his intensity, her eyes studied him as her body absorbed the negative emotions emanating from him. It had never really occured to her that he was carrying around that much distress from this particular occurrence. When he had finished speaking she waited for a moment and the she put a hand out to gently let her fingers lay on his shoulder. Fine narrow fingers of almost silver sheen that gave off a heat that was often most unexpected from someone that looked like her. Demons let off heat and fire where the host emitted icy cold, strange for a group that preqched love and compassion. Her touch would absorb these emotions but strqngely that is not their int3ntion this time. Compassion is not only a host trait it would seem.
"It seems i owe many apologies for many circumstances, but if it can be excused perhaps by a little understanding from others of how i am and how i was. I was unaware of this being q problem to you Eto. Did you realise that compassion is not a trait i was capable of before? Only recently have my emotions allowed for qny range of those considered native to the hosts. I guess it is easy for people to mistake this with me as i look. Now that i have this greater range i can more understand what you are thinking, and i qm not sure how i would have reacted before but i did what i did so i could keep focus on my task."
Thorn dropped her hand and turns away looking around the lab. "If i am to get the chosen ready for their task i qm going to need to understand all yhese things and then i will be able to guide them. I understand so much more than i did but i have such a long way to go. It seems the witch, "a strange smile comes across thorns face, qlmost affection, " knows this and she knows me and you as well. I think she is setting things up for me, like a good parent if i am correct. Helping me grow and allowing me room but backing me up from behind the scenes. If i am correct, i believe i have taken another step in the understanding with this visit."
Thorn turns back to Eto and the smile is still there. "Are you happy to help me with this? It seems that what that witch knows about the future she thinks i am going to need your help. But i would rather you were willing."
|
|
|
|
Post by Eto on Jun 1, 2016 9:41:41 GMT
The vampire listened and nodded, understanding and how big a blow learning compassion could really be. With a strange look in his eye, he shook his head. "It wasn't at all how you looked that..." The vampire shook his head. "And you don't need to apologize, I know... I've known how that works with you. It was never a concern, your feeding, the situations I've put myself in, you've put yourself in. Those aren't things that I have ever felt angry about. I've fought beside you, killed for you because I believe in you. Of course I'd be happy to help you" Eto laughed then, and it wasn't a harsh or a bad sound. Some details were donning on him involving how truly deep compassion ran in understanding things beyond a purely theoretical and mechanical. Did she understand things beyond her studies?
"Apologies due on both sides apparently." He smiled, a kind warm smile, very alien on his alabaster features. "Do you know that I was in a self inflicted slumber when you found me in my mausoleum? That it wasn't death I was seeking for myself but rest, respite from the world? When we're overwhelmed to the point that I had been. We can put ourselves into a sort of magical slumber. We don't need to feed, or do anything really. We simply sleep, and dream the black dream of death. Unfortunately, waking from that slumber early is catastrophic on our minds. We wake up with no sense of self, no sense of friend or foe. All we do is destroy until our hunger is sated and we sit atop the wreckage of what we had done."
Eto paused for a moment his hands dropping to the scimitars on his waist. "Everything is muscle memory, trained skill, and the need to feed and destroy that which had awoken us... I was running from them, from S.D. from Rin, from all of them. I couldn't keep battling them. I couldn't keep destroying them over and over again, I felt like I was going mad. I had to escape, to sleep, to free myself from them..." Shame colored his features as he licked his lips, wetting them to continue. "When I found out later that it was in fact they who had manipulated you... They were the ones that tricked you into waking me..." Pained ruby eyes looked toward Thorn's silvery orbs. "It was my betrayal, since long before it happened. I introduced you, I tried to get them to work with you, to help you. It was my fault that they were involved with you in any way and they manipulated you. They who were MY friends... Brought you down, utilizing me as a tool to do so..."
Disgust was plain on his features as his eyes hit the ground. "It's what's bothered me so long. Can you forgive me Thorn? For so many mistakes leading up to my ultimate treachery?" It was the question that had haunted him for years, tormented his dreams and nightmares. Eto's deepest shame, killing his oldest and best friend, uncontrollably.
|
|
|
|
Post by SilverThorn on Jun 5, 2016 13:05:44 GMT
Thorn recoiled with a frown creasing her brow and one eyebrow heading north as she contemplated Etos words. This was something she had not heard in full and the duplicity of the creatures involved being revealed to her now was fairly devastating to her. For a being unable to lie she somehow was compelled to believe others, forgetting that it was her alone that was forced into truth. She now wondered about Mai and even Kiara's role in all this and her head hurt, and possibly another part of her that she was not aware of, buried underneath the Daemon of her being. Thorn never believed she had a heart, the most she felt for another was loyalty, or that was what she believed. But the hurt in her ran a little more deeper than mere breaking of trust, something else inside her was breaking at this information. The lengths these creatures had gone to to bring about her demise was more than extraordinary, and to know these, many of which she had trusted to some extent, or as much as she was able to trust, it made her head spin and possibly her heart ache. They knew her well enough that the only person she would let her guard down for was Eto and they used that mercilessly.
her arms hugged around her middle and squeezed tight as a soft keening came from her lips in a multitonal cacophony with some notes going beyond the sound human ears could reach. Why learn to care and possibly love if other creatures would use this against you in the most brutal of ways. And Eto. Was he trying to reestablish her favour to possibly catch her unawares, or was he really still her friend, brother......Thorn shuddered and the keening came to a hissing stop. Her head bent forwards and she looked at the ground, her eyes widened in surprise as she saw drops falling between her face and the floor of the lab. She brought a hand up to catch some of the drops and rubbed her thumb over on the ones on her palm, feeling the texture of the liquid against the skin. she glanced at Eto with her cheeks still wet and held her hand out in confusion.
"If these are supposed to be angelic emotions then why do they hurt so much? From this i can feel more pain than i felt with just the demonic emotions i used to have."
Thorn shuddered again her eyes searching Etos face looking for something there that might replace the trust that she had lost. When she spoke again her voice was very low.
"I understand now why the witch did this to you. How do you trust when this is the result? The demon motto is safer than the emotions the angels have."
|
|
|
|
Post by Eto on Jun 6, 2016 3:17:05 GMT
The keening that escaped his oldest friend's lips ached in a way that the vampire had never really felt before. Things inside her sounded to be breaking in such a way that neither of them had ever experienced before. It was agony to listen too, agony to watch as she hugged herself, tried to defend against the pain that his words had so obviously brought upon her. "I can tell you that the reason I trust is far different than the reason that you would. I know the joy Thorn, I know what it feels like to have that trust affirmed... Every time you've fed from me, from my memories, it has always been this kind of pain. The pain of those betrayals. Do you remember how happy I've been? How happy the world has been to me at times? When you couldn't feed from me? That joy outweighs the pain." He took a step forward wrapping his arms around his oldest friend hugging her gently, trying to comfort her.
"I trust because the other option is to spend the rest of eternity as a mindless killing machine with no other purpose than to feed and avoid pain. I have that inside me, that is part of the vampire that I am, but it doesn't define me. I don't have..." he paused a moment, running his hand gently through Thorn's hair. "I didn't have your compulsion until very recently. I didn't have an all consuming goal to bury myself in to hide from the fear and the pain and the betrayal of others. All I've ever had has been in my ability to fight and stand by someone's side no matter what the odds. I've stood by you, I stood by those who've betrayed me. I've attacked killed for you, for Zelm..." Pain rippled through him and he shuddered a moment before continuing. "I wont give up, I know what's happened. I'd rather you see everything that's happened for yourself than trust me... You know the deal I've made with the Witch. I know you can access my memories. If you want to see the truth, and verify my words. I'll give you whatever you want. Whatever you need to understand and see. " Eto sighed. "I trust because it's the only real thing I can do if I'm going to live in this world."
Eto sighed and ran his fingers through her hair again. "Everything's going to be alright Thorn. Even if it sucks for a while. We've both been through hell and back for each other, and now we're going to do so again..." He swallowed and sighed. "We're going to accomplish your goals, we're going to complete your quest, and we're going to kill Swiftclaw, we're going to do it together. If it means I have to fight every daemon and angel between here and your goal. So be it. But you've got my blades, you've got my mind and you've got my pain. Anything you need. It's yours. I promise."
|
|
|
|
Post by SilverThorn on Jun 15, 2016 5:29:49 GMT
Comfort, this was not something she was used to, and it was one of the range of feelings she had acquired from her success. Thorn leaned into him for a short moment before pulling away gentlty. although she did find this pleasant she would noit be able to put off her upbringing of very little physical contacr. most contact madeby another in the daemon world was usually negative in nature and painful. Even noiw a little part of her was waiting for it to start hurting.
But the hurt was the turmoil on the inside. The extent of the betrayal was vast in her mind and the enornmity of the lengths people she thought she knew was consuming her newly born heart. Her mantra that she had lived by all these eons seemed to hold more credence now. how was one to trust if the ones you trust could betray you so well. She realised now there was a terri9ble gap in her studies. If she had knownabouyt the habits and the mnannerisms of those creaatures she had studied then this could never have happened. They would never have been able to convince her and causeher to create the ideal situation for herr own death. it also occurred to her that those involved haqd wanted her dead so badly, a fact that caused pain she didnt know was possible and left her breathless and panting. it had been easier to think it waqs only Etos doinbg in his crazed state, and be aware that he might be able to do it again. She could work with that, knowing that he would try hisd utmost never to harm her. She could feel emotions and she could alkways feel that pinprick of guilt he had whenever he was around her. This had given her the confidence that he would not hurt her again, so long as she never opened another coffinn that he was in.
The betrayal of the others, Kiara or maybe even Mai. How far did this run? Darkness descended over her eyes as the enormnity bof it crashed down on her again and she sank to the ground, hwer legs like jelly beneath her. Her arms and her wings wrapped around her tightly as if to block out the rest of reality. Somewhere buried deep inside her a mental scream was calling out for help, a few words goinbg out into reality lookinbg for solace.
Thoirn couldnt turnb her mind off anbd in other realities where other parts of herself felt the call the bodies dropped and remnained lifeless, dead.
|
|
|
|
Post by Prince Amy O'Connor on Jun 15, 2016 6:38:54 GMT
The scream echoed across his mind, filling the space and chasing away the white noise that normally occupied his thoughts. It was so beautiful... a cry for help, a noise of pure, unadulterated agony. His scalpel froze on the flesh of one of his experiments and he turned his face towards the ceiling, a soft purr rumbling from somewhere deep within the madman's chest. It had been so long since power had pulled the strings of the Network, jerking them violently enough to capture the entirety of his attention.
His corporeal body, still in the Skinlands, wavered for a moment as his soul was pulled towards her. He could smell Eto within the emptiness, the complete void of Purgatory. More often than not, he kept his travels to Hell and Gaea, avoiding the other realms that existed just outside of their fields of vision.
"Shhhh," his voice would whisper across her mind, a soft comfort sent across the Madness Network. "Calm, now, new Sister. Are you in need?"
Not even the strongest of will could deny Findero Lauden, empowered by the insanity Malkav himself had gifted to him. When the lunatic used the strength of his Clan, he was an unstoppable force, and none could refuse the emotion he offered. In this case, he washed her in a sense of peace, a well practiced calm he had mastered long ago. "Should you require assistance, I can come to you. No power in the world could stop me, aside from your refusal. In this, I shall respect your decision and your power, but... New Sister, are you in need?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Eto on Jun 16, 2016 14:43:45 GMT
With a gentle sigh the vampire crouched down next to Thorn, running his fingers along the crest of her wings gently. "Shhhh Thorn, it's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay." His tone was quiet, gentle. Every bit of him wanted to comfort her, but she'd never really experienced it or needed it. So he did the only thing he could, he tried. "I don't know what's going to happen, I don't know how it's going to happen, but it'll be okay." It had taken him more than a century to get all of the events of that night straight, and more than a half a century beyond that to actually talk to Thorn about it. While that weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It was the weight of the promise he'd made that rested on his shoulders now. A weight he was more than happy to bear.
"What do you need Thorn? What is it that I can do?" He asked, just sitting here with her. There was no ulterior motive, no catch or hook. He just needed to be there. Needed to take care of her to the best of his abilities.
|
|
|
|
Post by SilverThorn on Jun 16, 2016 15:11:52 GMT
the wounded roiling mass that was Thorns hurt emotions felt the pull from Finn reaching out and they extended towarrds him and clung, not for a need of sanity but for the comfort that was offered and the stillness that her poor bruised mind desparately searched for. This was a comfort of a different kind, an orderr of sorts to the disorder that she had little to no experience with, and therefore no control. Thorns battered mind reached out and clung to the peace that was offered like a hungry child. With that action came the peace, peace enough for herrto be able to think, to be able to order her thoughts somewhat. only after taking from the unknown person and gaining a semblance of control did she realise that she did not know this being thatt offered help and she wasn't sure it wasthe best idea to accept the help offered. but it seemed the only course and she found she couldn't fault her actions for what she needed at that time.
once the madness had subsided enoughfor coherent thought she became aware of what and where she was. Eto, the thought echoed in her mind, she remembered that he was still there and her hand came out from her winged coccoon, long fingers would wrap around his wrist, whichever was closest, and grasp tight enough to bruise. her hand shaking with the strength she was using and the reaction to her previous failure to cope with emotions she was experiencing.
"Don't leave yet, i don't know if i am able to process this on my own. i think i am going to need help. If i am correct, the person i need to forgive is myself."
She shudders and reaches out to the other strangee mind. Absently she wonders if this one could possibly help her with mre than just her sliding into madness again.
|
|
|
|
Post by Prince Amy O'Connor on Jun 16, 2016 17:49:18 GMT
As she clung to him, her power echoed through his chest, almost like a physical force. His body gave a shudder of pleasure at the sensation of her madness. Long, long ago, Malkav had deemed him worthy of the gift, and he had a deep rooted infatuation for those that shared it. There was something beautiful about chaos, about the way patterns appeared before his eyes even when things made so little sense. In that way, this New Sister was beautiful to him.
He took the weight of her madness into his mind, letting it float there, a complete mess. It would free her of the incoherence that plagued her, and he didn't mind nurturing that part of her for as long as she wanted. He understood how frightening derangements could be, but he also understood how deeply this lunacy was seeded within her. He had his doubts she would ever be able to free herself completely.
"I can help, his deep, resonating bass murmured through her mind. It didn't take long for Finn to find her in Limbo, clinging desperately to Etonis Vadia. The fog between realms welcomed him as he went to her, his travel simpler than most of the creatures he knew. His Sire had gifted him, after all.
Findero Lauden, standing seven feet in height, seemed to step into Limbo, unaffected by the strangeness of the world. He was still clad in his fabric outfit: a black turtleneck, black slacks, black dress shoes, pristine white gloves, and an archaic lab coat, left open. His hair looked darker than usual in the strange darkness of Purgatory, but if one looked close enough, they'd still see the purple shade.
His head tilted to one side, green eyes focused solely on Thorn, glimmering with excitement. The Queen of the Fiends... How he'd longed for so long to meet her, to study her. If his heart could beat, it would race in childlike excitement. His face broke out into a grin, too wide to be proportional, and his eyes of chiseled emerald gleamed. "I can help," he repeated, ignoring Eto outright. "Tell me what you need, New Sister, and I shall give it to you." His arm swept across the air as he bowed from the waist, looking positively subservient.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eto on Jun 17, 2016 10:05:26 GMT
"Don't worry Thorn, I'm not going anywhere." He cooed gently, running his free hand along her feathered wing again. Only a moment later did the madman appear. Eto's ruby eyes turned toward him, flaring violently. With his wrist held in the hand of his dearest friend, there was little he could do to truly position himself, so he twisted only a bit, positioning himself between Thorn and Finn. Fury twisted at the frail vampire's insides, drawing him closer to Thorn, almost leaning over her in an attempt to keep her safe from the giant. "What are you doing here Finn?" He growled defensively. Any motion toward Thorn the giant would make, Eto would put himself between them.
His free hand dropped down to the scimitar at his waist automatically. If the madman wanted to harm her of fight, he'd have to cut through him first.
|
|
|
|
Post by SilverThorn on Jun 23, 2016 14:44:13 GMT
Thorn shut her senses down for a long moment. it was sense that was causing her hurt and she needed to limit it to some degree to be able to still her mind. As a result she still did not know that the other was in the room. She kept a tight grip on Eto, his presence was comforting, normal, common to her and it gave her some peace of mind knowing that he was with her in case this other might be toxic to her. She learned a long time ago that everything came at a price. The undercurrent of muttering that she could hear on the very edges of her mental senses seemed to indicate there was more than one mind linked possibly to this other male and that was a little disconcerting. She was curious as to what help he offered but the price.....there was always a price.
"You, Whom are you? I do not know or recognise your thoughts as i usually do those that are able to enter here. What is this help you speak of? Is there away to direct this emotional state? i am not used to feeling such things. You....what is your name.".....She sent this to the other through her mind, still not realising the male was in present company, and quietly in a muted multitone she spoke also to Eto.
"Someone is answering my pain. I am confused, is this me i am talking to or is it someone else? Should i reply? do you think it is best to seek help?"
Thorn released her wings a little and unfolded from them to allow herself better sight to look at Eto but instead her gaze fell on the other close by. Her grip on Eto relaxed only to tighten again and pull him a little closer. After trying to deal with these emotions another suddenly in a place she had thought would be safe from everyone especially her brother was alarming and she stared at the stranger with wide silver white eyes. Her gaze flowed over his form trying to find something of recognition before it rested on his face and then his eyes. For some reason the eyes seemed akin to her and she raised and eyebrow very slightly.
"Is this an acquaintance of yours Eto?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Prince Amy O'Connor on Jun 23, 2016 17:36:02 GMT
Despite the obvious threat in Eto's gesture, the giant lunatic - standing at seven feet - remained bowed from the waist, his eyes focused on the blackness of his shoes. His smile was manic across his features, eyes wide and green swirling with absolute madness as he contemplated the entirety of the situation before him. He had come to understand that the mercenary was not a boring creature, but to think that he was so directly connected to something so interesting? Now that was something he hadn't expected at all. He had come to think that he was wasting his time following little Eto around Nagasaki. He was more than happy to be proven wrong.
However, rather than respond to the other Kindred, he remained focused on the whispers of the woman's mind across his own. He could hear the concerns about price echoing and that almost made him laugh. Intelligent AND mad? He should have expected no less from a woman of her power and prowess. Finn had met far too many politicians in positions similar to her own that simply fell short, as far as he was concerned. Luckily for him, Thorn seemed different.
"My name is Findero Lauden," he said, his voice spoken both aloud and within her mind simultaneously. "You may call me Finn, if you deem it fit. I have come to assist in your current situation... You are currently afflicted by utter madness. Emotions have a tendency to weaken the strength of the mental state." Of course, he understood that only on a basic level, having completely removed the majority of his emotions hundreds of years prior. He found he functioned far superior whenever it was static that coursed through his mind and his veins; the kind of static that made everything else absolutely obsolete. "You are speaking to me, not to yourself, dear Queen of Fiends."
Without rising, he lifted his eyes, allowing her free access to the static in his mind. If she wanted to search for honesty, she would find it. He meant her no harm and his intentions, while twisted by thousands of years of absolute insanity, were pure. She had asked for help and he had arrived to provide it. "I can take your emotions into myself, if you should wish it, and can teach you to control and focus them at your convenience. This process will only serve as a temporary fix - a band-aid if you will - but it will allow you to finish your rather unpleasant conversation without the terrible weight of flighty emotions. Eventually, you will control them completely once more."
As if to show her what he meant, he allowed her into even the deepest parts of his psyche, where he held the emotions he did possess in an iron grip, keeping them controlled to whatever degree he wished. None would be able to peel them free. It left the rest of his mind unaffected and functioning, as best as a Malkavian's mind could function. His smile was a response in an effort to bring her comfort, nothing more. The only thing he seemed to allow free reign remained the dichotomy of amusement and boredom; that allowed him enough focus and drive to do whatever it is he set his mind to... so long as it was interesting.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eto on Jun 23, 2016 17:59:23 GMT
"Yeah Thorn, I know him. Finn is from Nagasaki." His sentences were short and crisp, but those fiery ruby eyes, remained watching him very carefully. He'd seen and experienced the madman's speed for himself, very few other creatures in the multiverse could actually keep up with him in terms of raw speed, and he had done so, as a little girl. Did he trust the madman? Absolutely not, too dangerous, too possibly volatile, and he never quite knew what it was he wanted in exchange for his actions. "I don't think that this kind of help is safe for you to request personally." He answered her honestly, his voice had lost all of it's many different dialects as he spoke to Thorn, his accent perfectly Italian.
"We both have a problem with certain... Addictions..." He hesitated, not enjoying the prospect of admitting any of this at all to the giant eggplant haired madman. "Easing this pain, and not coping with it..." Flashes of Zelm raced through his mind as his empty hand tightened into a fist. The pain he felt there wasn't meant for feeding, though Thorn was always welcomed to it, but as an example of exactly what it was he meant when he spoke of certain addictions. "I don't know his game, he's a madman, ruler of the Malkavians. One of the Vampire Clans that Amy spoke of, told me I belonged too... His clan is cursed with madness, pure and unadulterated madness." The mercenary hesitated, calculating how many different angles of attack could be made against him while he had only the one hand free.
"Amy didn't send him... That much I know, and he's her most trusted advisor..." Why he knew that, he wasn't quite willing to share with the Madman, not yet. But it was something that they both, Finn and Eto needed to speak to one another about and soon. "I think he's here of his own choosing." The fiery haired mercenary crouched down with his oldest friend nodding a bit. "If you'd like to stay here for a while and handle things without his help. I'll stay, but if you want to utilize his help, that isn't a problem either. I'm not sure how much help I can be inside your mind... Just be careful." The genuine concern in his voice was obvious. There weren't even a handful of creatures in the universe who had been Eto's friend through the years, the only one he could count was sat behind him, in a state of pain he couldn't assist with. If she wished for his help, he'd do everything in his power to make sure she got it. Without harm.
Finally he turned his back on the madman, crouching over Thorn to rest his hand against her back . "I'm not going anywhere, you've seen and experienced everything I've had to struggle with for a century... I'm not going to leave you alone with this pain... If you'd have understood it back then, you wouldn't have left me either..." Eto pulled the remains of his cloak free of his shoulder with one hand, draping it gently over Thorn's wings. Out of sight out of mind. He thought to himself, doing the only thing in his power he knew to keep her safe and sane.
|
|
