video; oo1

[contemptibility]

[Warning: Violence, death, and implied cannibalism.]

[When the feed turns on, all that can be seen is a dim shot of the ground, the SFC presumably lying somewhere in an alleyway, forgotten. Then there's movement, as a foot collides with it, knocking it around until its position changes, capturing the scene more clearly.

Tiir's standing, surrounded by three locals—or rather, four, with the fourth lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

... The blood and all-too-pleased look on Tiir's face, along with his glowing eyes, should make it clear exactly who the culprit is here.

Then there's another flash of movement, as the upper half of one local is suddenly sliced off—those with sharper eyes might've caught that Tiir did it with his hand, now covered in blood. However, he doesn't waste any time in using his momentum to swing up in the opposite direction, cutting off the arm of the second local. He easily catches it as it flies into the air, before lunging towards the third local, grabbing his head with his free hand. A bit of pressure, and then—

And then it bursts, drenching Tiir in blood, though he hardly seems to mind, his smirk never faltering. Taking a hold of the body before it falls, he throws it at the local whose arm he cut off, knocking him unconscious.]

Not much of a meal, but it'll have to do...

[Placing the arm in his mouth, he then starts to drag the unconscious local behind him—before he notices the SFC. A blink, after which he removes the arm from his mouth, casually tossing it to the side before picking up the SFC.]

Ah... this device does seem to enjoy activating at the strangest of times, doesn't it?

[Though it should be obvious from his tone and expression that he's not sorry at all, before he turns it off—]

Comments

It's a party in here

[rainbowarch]

[The other killer hunts in a decidedly different way, diving down from above onto his target. While he doesn't possess the arm blades Serph does, he has his own weapons that are just as deadly. The retractable blade on his head emerges, and he uses it to execute a quick kill, drawing it back in as soon as the deed was done.

Cielo can't help but think about how different eating here is. It's different having to hunt food down. Different and it makes him uneasy.

But no matter his feelings on the subject, the fact is that Cielo must eat, and bending over, he opens his beaklike jaws lined with those jagged teeth to bite down into his fallen prey.]

aww yeah cannibal party

[contemptibility]

[The sounds catch Tiir's attention, and... well, never let it be said that he's easily scared—at least, not for his own life.

And so, still covered in blood, he heads over to the source. Though his eyes continue to glow brightly, there's no hostility on his part—merely curiosity.

...]

Well, this is an unusual sight.

[Without the fairies, he can't tell immediately whether or not they're foreigners as well, but he certainly doesn't recall seeing them around before.]

[bufudine]

[ The words get Serph's attention, and he immediately whips his head around to face the source, though he has no eyes to see their observer. But he still gets a good idea of what this person looks like and with a heightened sense of smell...

He still thinks all foreigners are like Cielo and himself. People with Atma, who need to feed on the flesh of others. So he's wary of the intrusion, not entirely sure if the stranger intends to eat them. But when the stranger doesn't attack, Serph considers his options.

The stranger's words had struck him as odd. He can still speak as he is, and that is the safer option, but he thinks a show of good faith is better. So he slowly rises from the almost fully eaten corpse and reverts back to his human form, the tattoo on his face shining blue before fading back to its usual black. ]

What do you mean?

[rainbowarch]

[When Tiir speaks, Cielo raised his head up and turned it to face the newcomer. If Tiir should look at the demon's lower back, the Vatheon tattoo would be visible to him. When he's aware that Serph had reverted, Cielo does the same, his brand, located on his right leg, also glowing blue for a moment before it fades.

Serph had already asked the question, and so, for now, Cielo would leave the talking to him and focus on keeping a careful watch on this stranger. Should he try something, he was liable to be met with a round of submachine gun bullets.]

[contemptibility]

[Of course, Tiir hasn't let down his guard either. His posture is relaxed, as it usually is, but he's prepared to leave the scene at a moment's notice.

At the transformation, he blinks, surprised, before he smiles.]

You don't see many people devouring others [aside from him]. You're not human, are you?

[bufudine]

[ A good point. Serph had simply assumed the lack of open devouring had been because Vatheon is both a peaceful place in appearance, and because the hunger isn't nearly as great in Vatheon. Perhaps there is another reason...

As for what they are... No, they're still human in Serph's mind, but... Serph shakes his head. ]

We are part demon.

[rainbowarch]

[Human. He would like to say definitely that was what they were, but Cielo would be lying said if he didn't spend a good amount of time wondering exactly what they were. Serph's assertion is correct: they are part demon. That much is certain.

What Cielo isn't certain of, however, is what to make of this man.]

And you?

[contemptibility]

Oh? I can't say I've ever met a genuine demon before.

[...]

Well, I've been accused of being a demon myself before, but that would be inaccurate. I'm certainly not a lowly human, in any case.

[bufudine]

[ Avoiding a direct answer to Cielo's question? Is that because he doesn't know, or doesn't want to think about it? Well then... ]

What makes a human 'lowly'?

[ They are still human after all, and while Serph isn't bothered by the insult against the race he considers himself to be a part of, it does make him wonder...

People don't get covered in blood for no reason. ]

[rainbowarch]

[There were those in the Junkyard who reveled in their new demonic forms. This man reminds Cielo of them. He too wants an answer to the question Serph asked, so he simply waits for Tiir's reply.]

[contemptibility]

[The question doesn't surprise him. He realizes that even people like him don't always hate humans—that he's in the minority for that, even.

And so, while he can't empathize with that sentiment, he won't judge them for it.]

Because they're inferior in power. Because they're despicable beings who are incapable of coexisting with anyone different from them.

[...]

Though I suppose that if you like them, then me merely saying such things won't change your mind on that.

[bufudine]

[ He can't totally refute that. Their human experience in the Junkyard has been short, and already they've slaughtered everyone who had stood in their way. But if there's one thing that he knows for certain here...]

Things are different here.

[ There's no judgement in his tone, though. He doesn't know what this stranger's situation was like back in his home world, after all. But he feels this stranger should hear the words anyway.

However, one thing has stayed the same for Cielo and himself: the need to devour. And something about what the stranger had said earlier......]

...Is your hunger the same?

[rainbowarch]

[It's something Cielo also knew. Junkyard law itself decreed that you destroyed all the other Tribes or be destroyed yourself. End life, devour it, and use it to fuel your own. That was how they had to live. It was how most creatures lived, now that Cielo thought about it. You had to kill something to survive.]

Are you like us?

[contemptibility]

Hmm... I would suppose so. You don't possess an Iino Doue though, so I can't say for certain.

[His eyes fade to their normal blue.]

You wouldn't happen to hear anything, would you?

[bufudine]

[What is an Iino Doue? The fact he doesn't know is probably reason enough to assume they don't have one.

Serph tilts his head in question, not sure of what this stranger means. He doesn't hear anything other than themselves and the usual sounds of the underwater city at night.]

[rainbowarch]

[Naturally, Cielo also doesn't know what Tiir is talking about. And since Serph didn't ask the question, he was going to.]

Hear what?

[contemptibility]

A voice. Ah, well, it seems that you don't.

[It's quiet now, but it's a part of him—a voice in his head, commanding him to feed.

If they don't hear anything, then they're definitely not anything resembling Iino Doue bearers.]

[bufudine]

[Serph shakes his head. Varna is quiet, now that he's fed, but it grows louder and more insistent the hungrier he becomes. When he first gained his Atma, it had been the loudest he's heard it -- eat them all eat them all eat them all -- and he imagines all those who had been consumed by their demon had been overwhelmed by it.]

Our Atma are quiet when they are fed.

[A pause.]

It's best they stay that way.

[rainbowarch]

[Yes, it is much better that they stay quiet. Cielo has seen first hand what happens when a demon is not fed, and he himself nearly did not survive an encounter with one that was driven berserk with hunger.

He's seen the way a ravenous demon tears apart everything, including the person who hosts them.

With Serph doing the talking, Cielo doesn't see the need to chime in - Serph's direct words are enough. Instead, his eyes drift momentarily to the mostly eaten body he had been feeding on before the stranger's interruption. Seeing such a mangled, grotesque thing used to make him sick. It doesn't anymore.]

[contemptibility]

Oh? Perhaps we're not quite so different.

[He doesn't mind the loudness, for he's never had any qualms about devouring others, and it's never gotten to a point where he couldn't keep himself in check.]

This is a pleasant surprise, then. Even if you aren't bearers of God's Eyes, I hadn't expected to meet anyone like myself.

[bufudine]

[God? That certainly gets his attention. They only know of the word, but not what this "God" is. It's something he'd wondered about -- God has cursed us all -- ever since the mention from Jinana.

...But, perhaps that is a conversation for another time. Their prey haven't been fully consumed yet, and now that he knows that those who devour are rare in Vatheon, it makes him uneasy holding conversation so near their unfinished meal. If they are going to eat in a world where they must hunt for food instead of simply defend themselves, then he will not let the bodies of those he kills go to waste.]

Your name?

[rainbowarch]

[Serph's getting anxious, Cielo can tell. Time is running short and the longer they stick around here talking, the higher the chance that someone was going to find them. Usually, Cielo would introduce himself and Serph, but this time, he wants to hear the stranger's name first.]

[contemptibility]

[Tiir, on the other hand, obviously feels no such anxiety. He grew up in a world where eating others was abnormal, after all—he's always been hunted, always been living like this.

However, he doesn't miss the unease that the two share, and so for the sake of courtesy, he'll speed things up.]

Tiir Rumibul. And yours?

[bufudine]

Serph.

[Usually someone else introduces him, and Serph doesn't usually make a point to introduce the others, but they are short on time.]

My comrade is Cielo.

[He gives Tiir a curt nod.]

I hope we meet again.

[Under different circumstances, anyway.

tl;dr TIIR GO AWAY WE WANT TO GET BACK TO OUR DINNER. PEOPLE ARE SO GROSS TASTING AFTER RIGOR MORTIS SETS IN, YOU KNOW?]

[rainbowarch]

[Serph has ended the conversation, and Cielo has nothing more to say. So he transforms back into his demonic form, holding out both arms as they change into wings. Turning back to the mostly eaten body, Cielo finds that he doesn't have much of an appetite anymore. But like hell he was just going to leave this corpse here. This person was dead, and the worst thing he could do was waste that death.

And if he doesn't eat it all now, he'll have to kill again sooner. So, he forces himself to eat, reaching down with his claws to rip into the body once again.]