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Jun 22, 2023 11:05:07 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 22, 2023 11:05:07 GMT -5

It happened again.

A horrified gasp reverberated in Daru’s room. Sweat dripped from her chin after she rushed to sit up in bed, eyelids shot as wide as they could and chest inflating and deflating rapidly from the heavy breathing. Her eyes dashed all over the bedroom consumed in darkness in spite of seeing absolutely but the pitch black. She leaned over to the nightstand, hand out and frantically rubbing down her wall until she came across the light switch and flicked it up to turn on the light. The luminance instantly lit up what looked to be an ornate living area. Daru continued to look around the room in panic, but all she saw was nothing more than thin air.

Daru’s breathing began to settle and eventually came back to its usual calm pattern. A heavy breath was inhaled then exhaled into a troubled sigh, a hand brought up and palm laid flat on her forehead to touch the sweat droplets that formed. Damn it. It. Happened. Again. That damn dream of hers that continued to pop into her head for weeks now, that damn dream of a clip replaying in her head; the clip of her murdering her parents in cold blood. Ever since it happened, she couldn’t stop thinking about it and she didn’t know why.

In nothing but her black undergarments, Daru twisted her body to sit on the edge of the bed. Her eyes blankly stared at the ground for a couple of seconds, almost in deep thought. In due course, she shook her head and stood up from the bed. Arms were stretched above her head while a couple of joints were head popping a couple of times. Both limbs dropped to her side and Daru began to make way for the quaint kitchen.

On the table were her pack of cigarettes, things that helped calm the young demon down whenever she was stressed. One hand picked up the pack and the other took out a thin cigarette before she threw the pack back down. The butt of the cigarette now in between her lips, she held the thumb of her free thumb up near the end of the cigarette. A small light blue flame sparked on top of their thumb as it lit the cig. One inhale of it and a quick puff of smoke escaped the small hole of her mouth, she placed her hand back down.

Just a few weeks ago, Daru was sent out on a mission to bring back escaped slaves. She had a different approach to the mission, which was to take their lives instead. It was an extreme measure, but she had good reason behind it even though the reason itself was replaced with a lie of self defense as they tried to take her own life. She believed that escaped slaves being brought back to their cells was a simple slap on the wrist, and who knew if they dared try d to do it again, or influence other slaves to do the same? No, whoever escaped had to be dealt with harshly, so others wouldn’t dare to do the same.

The slaves she dealt with weren't ordinary slaves. They were her own parents. For the first time, in that exact moment, was when she met her parents for the very first time. It was a surreal moment, but Daru knew exactly what she had to do. She never saw them prior to the incident or even had the desire to try and meet them. They were both in different lanes, different lifestyles, and Daru had no interest in trying to befriend a bunch of slaves of all types of people. It was the lack of emotional connection she had with her kin that made it somewhat easier for her to get the job done, yet for some reason… she couldn’t shake the feeling off. And she didn’t know what this feeling was.

Was it… guilt? Remorse? Regret? No. There was no reason for Daru to feel this way. They may have been her parents who she never met up until her search for them and killed them in cold blood like they were a bunch of animals, but they were also slaves. Daru was not a slave. She was different. She was a soldier. She wanted respect. She deserved respect. She earned respect. There was no way in hell would she let herself be known as the daughter to a bunch of slaves. How would it look if she were to bring them back? Only to get teased again relentlessly? All the same while, they were her parents. Her only real family on this planet. Was it all worth it? Just for the recognition from low life soldiers who don’t see much value in anything or anyone else but their own?

Damn it, this cigarette wasn’t enough to rid this stress. She needed something heavy to drink. Her hand was held out and a large bottle of alcohol formed perfectly in her grip. She brought the bottle to her face and chugged half of the alcohol inside. The burning sensation roared in her chest, almost choking her even, but she was quick to recover.

A vibrating noise clattered nearby, specifically on the counter. Daru turned her attention to what was an object that looked very similar to a cellular device. Someone was calling her and it was unknown if they called multiple times with Daru coming to the realization that her ringtone was off. She leaned forward on the counter to see who was calling, but she already missed it. Before she could check who called, a text notification popped on the screen.

DARUUUUU! COME ONNNNN! ANSWER MY DAMN CALLS! D:<

- Sayah

Daru groaned when she read the sender's name. Sayah... Daru didn't know how to describe this woman. At best, the young demon can admit she was a capable individual; a valuable asset of some kind. Would she consider themselves as friends amongst each other? Not really. Was she reliable? Not really. It was still better for Daru to keep Sayah around since she was able to prove herself as someone that can hold their own in a fight.

And someone that could help comfort Daru. Sayah was an understanding soul, a very rare trait that most soldiers in the faction lacked. The young demon reached for the device and began typing away with one thumb.

Come over.

Huh? I mean I don't really need to come over, I just want to talk. o.o

- Sayah

If you want to talk, you either come here or we both stick to texting.

Yeesh, you're hardheaded. Fine, I'll be omw in a couple of minutes.

- Sayah

WC: 1,130
2X Event
PL: 3,158

Last Edit: Jun 22, 2023 11:12:21 GMT -5 by Daru

44

POSTS

Daru

POWER LEVEL

65,889

Tech Points

4/18

Forms

Demonic Rage [x5]

Zeni

5,344

Demon

Jun 22, 2023 14:05:55 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 22, 2023 14:05:55 GMT -5

After Daru spent some time changing into a more appropriate outfit; a plain white t-shirt with long sleeved black pants, the young demon traveled to the common area and placed herself on the couch. A few minutes have gone by and a knock was banging on the door. On the coffee table, Daru reached over for a small black remote and pressed a button before setting it down. The door in front of her smoothly slid open, revealing a feminine figure that was exactly Daru's height. And like the young demon, she had long hair, and she had animalistic traits; mainly wolf ears that were pierced with small hoop earrings and, oddly, hawk wings.

Sayah, if Daru had to describe her relationship with the girl, was a close acquaintance. She wouldn't call her a friend, but she viewed her an indispensable asset, never mind the major flaws that she carries with her; short-tempered, spontaneous, rushes things head on rather than heeding caution, etc. If there was one thing Daru could give the girl credit for, it was her strength and being combat intelligent when it comes to the battlefield. She was a tough young girl who laughed at the face of danger and was a perfect match for Daru to be paired with in battles and missions where taking out a hit is the main objective. Outside of that? Daru would rather not try to spend too much time with Sayah in her own free time. This, however, was an exception. A rare one.

"Hot diggity damn, Dada! Must be nice being a demon!" The girl made a low whistle as she took in the living room's concept. It was obvious that it was Sayah's first time being in Daru's home and no less was she impressed by the interior design. It was smooth, clean, fit for someone that clearly knew how to speak with their wallet, except Daru didn't buy her house. It was one of the many advantages to have as a demon; utilizing Magic Materialization and creating her own home. "Which... not even gonna lie, is odd that you invited me over. You never do that shit. And... is that a bottle of alcohol?!" She eyed the young demon suspiciously, but it was clear that Sayah was bantering. Half jokingly, since it was known between the two that what Sayah said was true; she was never invited over Daru's home.

Daru only returned quietude at the pointed fact. It was unusual, and even more so when the young demon didn't remind Sayah of her use of foul language especially when she was in Daru's home. That, and the ridiculous nickname. "Things are getting that bad, Sayah. It can't be helped." She took another chug out of the bottle.

The sight of Daru being dejected made Sayah felt as if she were in a dream, and frankly, it was kind of scaring her. The look of concern was all over Sayah's face while she approached the young demon and sat next to her. It looked like now wasn't a good time for her usual antics, something that Daru took note of when she looked at Sayah's expression and something that Daru will always appreciate. "Alright, no funny business from me then. At least... not now, anyway. What's been eating at you?" She asked.

What's been eating her away... Daru never opened herself up to anyone before. She never had the desire to. The only person on this entire planet she might have opened up to was Arctic, a powerful and fearsome ally who she was grateful to have in her corner, but even then she never poured her heart out to him or saw him as a comforting figure. Sayah? She looked like she knew how to comfort.

It was now or never, so Daru began to explain all of her troubles... the question was, where to start?

WC: 650
TWC: 1,780

Sayah:

Last Edit: Jun 25, 2023 13:50:15 GMT -5 by Daru

44

POSTS

Daru

POWER LEVEL

65,889

Tech Points

4/18

Forms

Demonic Rage [x5]

Zeni

5,344

Demon

Jun 22, 2023 15:18:27 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 22, 2023 15:18:27 GMT -5

"You know that I've killed my parents, or at least you can recall hearing the rumors and gossips." It was a strong way to start off, but Sayah nodded agreeingly. How could she not know? Daru was the daughter of two demons who were slaves, and she was taken away to be raised as a soldier of the PTO. Not many other soldiers in the faction were on board with Daru as her current status of serving the PTO as an "equal" with the soldiers than being a slave like her parents. When they escaped and the young demon was assigned to bring them back, Daru went the extra mile as to kill them and lie that they were armed and tried to take her life. Daru's "logical" and front of a reasoning was that if one slave tries to escape and came back unscathed, then others would try to follow suit. It only made sense for Daru to instill fear to make sure other slaves won't try to emulate.

The real reason? Daru was sick and tired of the berating and humiliation she had to deal with being known as the woman whose parents were slaves. She hated the constant teasing and insults. She saw the perfect opportunity to end them right there. Ever since it happened, her heart wasn't at ease and she didn't know why. She never met them until she had to track them down for her mission, so killing them should've been no problem. She grew up fine without her parents, so she should be still fine without them. Sayah was the first person to check on Daru and defend her fiercely from other soldiers who tried to mock her of her parents. Now it was time for her to actually say it out loud.

"I didn't kill them. I murdered them." Daru went straight to the point.

On Sayah's end, it was obvious she failed to understand what Daru tried to hint at. "I... don't get it. Murder and kill? Those are pretty much the same thing, are they not?" To her, there wasn't much of a difference. Kill, murder, slaughter, they were all a fancy way of saying that someone's life was taken by the hands of someone else, regardless of the reason.

Daru didn't show it on her face, but she was frustrated that she had to spell it out for Sayah. She couldn't blame the young girl, however. She was trying her best to hear the young demon's troubles. "There's a subtle difference, even if they do equal the same outcome. I had the intent of killing them. It was planned from the start the moment I found out they were my biological parents. They were never armed like I've claimed. I... I had no plan on letting them live." She felt mixed as she made her confession. On one hand, she felt glad that she was pouring her heart to someone. She was a little relieved. On the other hand, she wasn't sure how Sayah was going to react.

Sayah's eyes widen and mouth was agape. "Wait, you... purposely killed your parents? But why? T-They're your parents! They were slaves, yeah, sure, but... they were your only family." An evident fact that Daru couldn't deny, no matter how much she wanted to. What made her murder them, despite the fact that they were related even though there was a sense of hesitation?

"I didn't know them. I've never met them up until that moment. So it was fairly easy to pull the trigger." Daru's voice slightly wavered, but it was subtle when she caught herself the moment she detected a hint of quicker in her voice, but gratefully Sayah didn't catch on.

"That doesn't answer my question." Sayah said. She was right, it didn't. She now knew that the killing was premeditated and she had the purpose of killing her own parents, but the answer to why was yet to be answered.

Daru knew this, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to admit it... no, she had to. Sayah was willing to hear her out, so there was no point in trying to bullshit her.

WC: 697
TWC: 2,477

44

POSTS

Daru

POWER LEVEL

65,889

Tech Points

4/18

Forms

Demonic Rage [x5]

Zeni

5,344

Demon

Jun 23, 2023 22:38:01 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 23, 2023 22:38:01 GMT -5

"Because slaves should know better than to try and do something as foolish as to try and escape their natural roles. They need an extreme punishment waiting for them if they were to try what my parents did. They were made an example of." Throughout Daru's answer, Sayah was making it known, unintentionally, that she was uncomfortable through her concerned facial expression. It wasn't exactly the real answer, but it was what helped the young demon cope with what she did. The more she started to believe that, the more she thought it was true. It eventually started to become her reasoning, her own truth.

"Their natural roles... but you keep referring those slaves that you killed as your parents. Maybe you never really saw them as that. If you did, you'd've only called them slaves. After all, it's their 'natural' role, as you claimed. You never knew them, yet here you are, even when they're dead, still showing some form of respect for them somehow... calling them 'my parents'." ...Shit. Was Sayah actually onto something here? It wasn't so often was Sayah actually showed forms of intelligence if it wasn't on the battlefield. decent Did Daru actually... care for them? No, she wouldn't. She couldn't. They were slaves and she wasn't.

But Daru shrugged it off. "They were slaves that happened to be my parents..." It sounded like the young demon tried to find any excuse, or anything, to discredit Sayah, but she had nothing. She'd be more of a fool to defend herself in thinking she could try and bullshit her way around Sayah. At the same time, this could very well be the prideful side of Daru trying to take over and refusing to let the girl be right. Perhaps there was some sort of respect for them. Her? Respecting slaves? No, that was delusional. Who in the right mind would respect lesser beings? Daru sure as hell wouldn't... right?

"See? You do have some sort of emotional connect-"

"NO I DON'T! STOP IT! I'M A SOLDIER AND THEY WERE GOD DAMN SLAVES! WHAT DON'T YOU GET ABOUT THAT?!" Out of nowhere, Daru snapped at her acquaintance with a temper already so high, she unconsciously slung the bottle of alcohol she held across the room. The bottle made contact with a wall, instantly shattering into thousands of pieces. The liquid inside splattered from the impact, most of it stuck to the wall and dripped its way down to the floor.

Sayah and even Daru herself was thrown off from the unforeseen outburst. The young demon's attention was on the broken bottle of alcohol, her stare suddenly intense before tears began to swell in her eyes. Her breath was shaken, hands trembling while she brought them to her face. Her index fingers traced along the bottom lashes of her eyes to draw out the tears that already flowed down her cheeks. She was crying.

Oh hell.

She was crying.

Daru shook her head in denial. No, she wasn't crying. But why did she have to kill her parents? No, she wasn't crying. Was the death of her parents' worth it? No, she wasn't crying. Why couldn't she try to help them out? No. Why did the opinions of low life soldiers mattered more? She was not-

FUCK.

Sayah wrapped her arms around Daru and brought her close for a comforting hug. Before the young demon knew it, she found herself sobbing uncontrollably. The dam had fallen and Daru cried like mad. She was vulnerable. Sayah may not have thought it, in fact, she felt immense sympathy, but Daru did, and it was that she felt pathetic. A PTO soldier? Crying? Showing weakness? It was a truly hideous sight, Daru thought.

"I murdered them, Sayah... I murdered my parents... all for the recognition from... fucking GRUNTS. I saw the people that were my only family... my only kin... as lowlife trash..." Regret, remorse, guilt, it was all coming down on her. Whether she was willing to admit it or not, it was the biggest miscalculation she ever made. No amount of denial or cope could ever face the music that Daru shouldn't have murdered her parents.

Sayah continued to be the emotional support for Daru as she soothingly rubbed her hand against her back. "It's okay, Daru. It's okay to admit your mistake, your regrets, everything. Your feelings are valid. Just because you're a soldier doesn't make you weak when you cry. It's only how you handle it. You can only hold it in for so long before everything starts to fall apart." She whispered. Oddly enough... the girl was right, somehow. She wasn't weak, but if she were to show this side to the wrong person, they'd think otherwise. But with Sayah... she didn't feel like that was the case.

"...Sayah." Daru was able to choke out a single name as she tried to calm herself down. "I want... I want to show you something."

WC: 827
TWC: 3,304

44

POSTS

Daru

POWER LEVEL

65,889

Tech Points

4/18

Forms

Demonic Rage [x5]

Zeni

5,344

Demon

Jun 25, 2023 13:41:28 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 25, 2023 13:41:28 GMT -5

Sayah gently pulled herself out of Daru's embrace and eyed her suspiciously. It was very out of character for the young demon to be this vulnerable to her to the point where she broke down in actual tears, almost reaching to levels of hysteria. Not that Sayah minded, anyway. In fact, she felt weirdly honored. Sayah knew Daru never really saw her as a person that's responsible or anyone worth telling extremely sensitive information (which she wouldn't blame her at all, Sayah did have her irresponsible habits and likes to set out her own way), so for her to show her true vulnerabilities and flaws in front of her meant something to her. Could it be that Sayah was ready to move on from close acquaintance to... friend? "Uh... s-sure." Sayah had uncertainty in her voice when she answered. It was shocking enough Daru was more than trusting to break down in front of the girl, so what else did the young demon had up her sleeve?

Without another word, Daru got up from the sofa and walked off towards the other end of the living room with Sayah following behind. There, was a small keypad with an outline of a door planted on the wall. After punching a few numbers on the pad, the hidden door slid open. Sayah tried to take a peek from behind, but Daru already entered the room and the girl quickly followed along. She was nervous on what exactly she was going to be shown. Hopefully nothing too erratic or completely insane. Right?

The two entered in a spacious white room so bright Sayah thought she got flash banged. Just on the other side of the room were a couple of computers and monitors on the side. In the center was two large glass chambers with bodies that peacefully floated in whatever liquid was in it. The closer Sayah got to the chambers, the wider her eyelids went. Her mouth dropped open while she tried to fight back a horrified gasp.

"Holy... Holy shit..."

Two people in separate chambers that held extremely similar traits to Daru with tubes attached to their bodies... If Sayah was dreaming, she wished she could wake up right now. Those were her parents, there was no denying it. Her deceased parents were kept in the chambers. She didn't know what to say or do. All she could do was just stand in place and stare at the deceased bodies of her parents. "W-What... b-but why...?" The attempt to cough out questions and wonders was more towards herself than at Daru, but she was perceptive enough to pick it up and answer anyway.

"After the murder of my parents, I initially thought about beheading their heads from their already dead bodies as proof that I've permanently dealt with them," Daru began as she slowly paced between the two chambers. "But there was something in my head that told me not too take it to far, to not do something more brutal than I've already done, especially when they were my... parents." She continued. She stopped in front of the chamber where her mother floated. Eyes opened, Daru was met with blankness in her stare. Lifeless. It pained her, and she wasn't afraid to show it on her face with a wince in her own eyes.

"...So what did you do? Or... why'd you do it? How'd you not get caught?" There was a lot more to ask, but Sayah kept it short.

However, Daru was more than willing to share more. "I made copies of their bodies. Dummies that were very realistic, if you will. It didn't matter how I murdered them, so I did whatever. Shot, stab, scratch, slice, I did it all. That was when I returned their bodies to the higher up, the one that assigned me the mission to track them down. After I was done, I went back for their real bodies, picked them up, and just... placed them in this room. To preserve them."

Sayah made another low whistle, this time completely speechless while she shook her head in disbelief. She stood in silence, trying to find the right words to say. But what was even there to say? After the complete bombshell dropped on her, she had no idea how to react at all. She was very much so very concerned for Daru's well being, but what could she do about it? Damn... this woman is hurting deep. I'll give her credit, she knows how to hide shit like this well... because WOW... She thought to herself.

"I... used to come here every night. To talk to them. Ask questions. Get to know them." Daru said. She couldn't suppress the bitter chuckle that was held in her chest as she shook her own head. "It's foolish, I know. They're dead, floating in these glass tanks. In a twisted way, it gave me some sort of closure... beg for forgiveness, and find my own peace... somewhat." She rose a hand up against the glass and firmly pressed her palm against it. An action performed that was meant to sooth the soul and ease the mind instead gave her a great heartache that was filled with disappointment and sorrow.

"So... you don't plan on burying them any time soon, do you?" Sayah asked, even though she might already know the answer. No, she wouldn't. She wasn't at all at peace despite what Daru said. It was written all over her face. There was still something biting at her, but she wasn't positive if it was anything related to her parents.

And Sayah was right when the young demon nodded her head. "Not for a long time, no." She answered solemnly. "And I don't think I ever could. I don't... I don't think I'll ever be ready." She whispered. Quietness filled between the Daru and Sayah once again, the girl subtly fidgeting around in her spot, trying to figure out what the hell else to say.

"So um... if I can ask, a-and you don't have to answer! And I, uh, hope you don't take this the wrong way..." Sayah paused to nervously scratch the back of her head, the silence feeling more deafening and making her more uncomfortable than she actually was. "Why... why me of all people? Why are you telling me all of this? Not that I view any differently from this or anything, it's just that... we're not close like that, you know? And you're usually so reserved. For you to call me, invite me inside, and just told me what you told me... I don't know." She trailed off, attempting to find more to say, but Daru was able to beat her to the punch.

"You think there's a catch." Sayah froze in place as she noticed Daru's tone go completely icy, almost hostile. She automatically assumed she stepped on a landmine and scattered around for an excuse. Yet, Daru continued. "And you're right, there is a catch to all of this. There is a reason I called you here." She said. "To be frank, I've drank more than I wanted, thus telling you more than I needed. Alas, you already know the truth, so I can't go back through time and stopped myself from doing it. In other words, Daru never meant to go as deep as she needed in regards to telling the truth about her parents. Sayah wasn't meant to be here to comfort Daru here, but it was the alcohol that did all the talking.

"Alright... I can work with that." So there was no progression in their relationship. It was still the same. Right. Okay. Sayah could work with that... she guessed. The uncertainty was still in Sayah's voice, but she proceeded to tread lightly nonetheless. "So... why am I here then? For real, this time." She asked.

Daru straightened her posture and lifted her hand from the glass to place it back on her side. She turned her head around and fixed her gaze on the other girl, vengeance in her eyes. "General Gong." Were the two words she uttered.

"...Huh? Wait... w-..what?!" Sayah gasped.

WC: 1,361
TWC: 4,665

44

POSTS

Daru

POWER LEVEL

65,889

Tech Points

4/18

Forms

Demonic Rage [x5]

Zeni

5,344

Demon

Jun 25, 2023 16:22:18 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 25, 2023 16:22:18 GMT -5

General Gong was a massively respective figure in the PTO that was heavily involved in Sayah and especially Daru's lives. Specifically for Sayah, he was her mentor that helped her immensely improve her combat skills and turned her into the murdering machine she was today. For Daru, she was practically her father figure. He was the one that pulled her from her parents and prevented her from becoming a slave like her parents. She trained and raised her to transform her into a coldblooded and calculative soldier that proved herself to be an invaluable asset to the faction. Despite the endless mocking and teasing of her parents' status, it was because of him Daru was well regarded in her own combat abilities.

So when Sayah took note of revenge and blood in her eyes mixed in with the name that Daru practically hissed venom in, she couldn't believe what the young demon was trying to allude to. No, she didn't want to. Yet she still wanted to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating or misunderstanding what Daru was going to say next. "...What about General Gong?" Sayah's voiced was cautious, almost pleading for Daru to think twice about what was about to be heard. There was no way she'd make the suggestion, right? Daru was a smart woman! Unless... she was already off the deep end of revenge to the point of no return. Still! There has to be some light inside of her head that had to shine!

"We make him hope God has mercy on himself, because we won't." Daru answered.

Shit, not what Sayah wanted to hear at all. Even if Daru didn't explicitly said it right then and there, Sayah knew exactly what Daru hinted at. She wanted to murder General Gong, the man that made them the ruthless soldiers they were today! But why? What did he have to do with any of this?! Sayah wanted to slap Daru, just to knock some sense into her. It was a death sentence, but right now Sayah was confident that Daru was officially off the deep end. "Now slow the hell down, Daru!" Sayah panicked. "What does Gong have to do with any of this?!"

Daru fulled turned around her body and slowly stalked up to Sayah, the girl's postured becoming frigid and almost still in place as the young demon came up to her. Was she going to hit her? Stab her? In her home? No, she can't be that lost... but at this point, anything was possible. She just hoped it wouldn't come out to a brawl. Luckily, Daru was calm and collective at the moment, but there was something off about her. Vengeance was still in her eyes, but now there was a crazy tiny in them and Sayah recognized it all too well. How so? Because Sayah herself always had that crazed look in her eyes whenever she lusted for blood, so when she spotted it in Daru, she knew all hell could break loose at any moment. The question remained... how much was Daru willing to risk it all on her crusade to murder Gong? And more importantly, why?

"He was the one that reported that my parents escaped from their cells? He specifically chose me to try and bring them back. He knew the comments of my descent of slavery were getting under my skin and he knew I'd do whatever it took to earn the respect of fools that don't deserve my own respect. He KNEW I had a strong grudge against them... and he somehow knew I wanted to kill them on top of that." Daru said, her voice broken into rage.

Sayah shook her head in wariness as she listened to Daru talk in vexation and pure exasperation. "...And you want me to help you kill him. That's why. That's exactly why you brought me here." The realization struck her like a knife through the heart. She wanted to kill the man that brought these two up, the same man that made them strong warriors. Gong was the only person, besides Daru to an extent, that made her feel belonged. Like Daru, he was somewhat of a father figure to Sayah as well. She was going to kill her own father, all from these... baseless accusations!

"Listen, Daru, I... I get how pissed off you are, okay? I know exactly... okay, no I don't know where you're coming from. I can't relate to you with your parents. But... come on, Daru! You're smarter than this! Murdering Gong? Who's practically our dad?! Based off of some conspiracy you have against him?" Sayah tried to get through Daru's head underneath the strong desire to murder Gong. She and even Daru knew that Gong was a very capable and strong man who could easily bend these two like plastic. It was a suicide mission, and that was the second half of the reason of why she refused to tag along and try to talk the young demon out of it.

It was no use, or it looked like her attempts (which, to be fair, weren't as charismatic or persuasive for Daru to be convinced) to talk sense were all but useful. Daru eyed Sayah, lost in thought as she continued staring at the girl. The ear-piercing silence fell between them once again and Sayah held her breath in anticipation. Daru became a ticking time bomb, and she had no idea what she was going to do next.

"Hmm... so you're not tagging along. I see." The tranquility Daru emitted was eerie. It appeared the demon was somehow accepting that Sayah didn't want to go through with this insanity of a plan. At the same time, it felt like there was more to this... and something bad was going to happen. "It's a shame, really. After I've drunkenly poured my heart out to you... but it's not like I expect you to tag along, anyway, so," Daru nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders, as if she genuinely wasn't bothered by the rejection.

Sayah was almost taken off guard when Daru simply shrugged it off. ...Was that it? Was that all it took? "Oh... uh... good! It's good that you're calling the whole thing off! Thank goodness!" She spat out a nervous and relieved laugh.

"Oh no, I never said I was backing down. And I never said you'd get out of my home alive, either." Daru said.

Sayah jerked her head back, eyebrows brought down into a concerned and confused look. "I... uh, excuse me?"

WC: 1,091
TWC: 5,756

44

POSTS

Daru

POWER LEVEL

65,889

Tech Points

4/18

Forms

Demonic Rage [x5]

Zeni

5,344

Demon

Jun 25, 2023 17:02:44 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 25, 2023 17:02:44 GMT -5

The hilt of a katana formed inside of Daru's clenched hand, a katana appearing out of thin air. The young demon held the sharp side of the blade right across the other girl's exposed neck. Daru's expression was filled with hostility as Sayah met her gaze with shock that she pulled out a weapon on her own acquaintance, someone that she cried to, and fear that she may have to fight her own acquaintance only to possibly lose and meet a worse fate. What if she ended up like Daru's parents? "You know too much about my plan already. Who's to say you won't go ahead and alert General Gong about it?" She asked.

Sayah instinctively rose her hands in surrender as she kept a shaky eye contact with Daru. "Come on, Daru. You know I'm not a snitch. Even if you've gone completely off the rails with all of this, I ain't some tattletale." She pleaded. She was always a woman with her word... most of the time, if she were honest, anyway? Something this big would incline Sayah to actually warn Gong, but for the most part Sayah has been known to keep her mouth such and was generally good with secrets. That had to account for something, at least enough for Daru to lower the blade. Right? She wasn't going to tell General Gong, but she also wasn't going to take a part of her suicide mission. Hopefully Daru could understand that.

Unfortunately, Daru shook her head. "If there's one thing I've learned about people within the faction, it's that often their words don't match their actions, whether it's part of their own ordeal or just to save their own asses. Even with close acquaintances. Even friends." It was something that Daru was also guilty of doing. Even if Sayah and her were somewhat close to an extent, she didn't have that much trust in Sayah to keep her mouth shut. Daru always held her hand behind her back, ready to unsheathe her claws and strike just in case she got fucked over. There were just a few people she could count on her hand that were exempt from such a rule. With Sayah's character overall, she wouldn't put it pass her if she warned someone that had a positive impact on her life. Would she actually do it? Daru wouldn't want to wait around and find out.

"Ch-Chill a sec, Dar. You've told me that you murdered your own parents out of bitter spite of your reputation, right? You said you felt regret, humiliation, all of that. You don't think you'll relive that experience with me if you were to kill me right here, right now?" That had to click somehow. They may not be friends, but they saw value in each other and what they could bring to each other to the table. Well, Sayah saw it that way. Hopefully... Daru felt the same?

Daru scoffed at Sayah's attempt for mercy; of course she didn't feel the same. "I will admit that regret itself is a form of punishment, but only if I'm extremely apologetic. You? You're no one to me. You're expendable. I could get rid of you tonight and get another you tomorrow. You're nothing special, Sayah." She threatened.

...Ouch.

Suddenly, there was a change of heart in Daru's eyes, as if she was contemplating something. Sayah noticed she lowered the blade from her neck, but she still kept her hands in the air just to be safe. "But... you may have a point that I'm rushing all of this." There, Daru finally lowered her katana as it then disappeared into thin air."One fatal mistake in my encounter with General Gong and that could just very well be the end of me." She muttered to herself. It looked like Sayah was off the hook, Daru's rage no longer upon the young girl. She deeply sighed in relief and slowly slid her hands down to her sides. That was good news, right? Could this mean Daru finally lets all of this go and abandon the conspiracy? Of course not.

"In that case, I'll need answers. For now, we'll confront him and see what he has to say." Daru suggested.

"...Huh?" Sayah gaped.

"We won't attack just yet. We just want to hear his explanation, why he thought it was a good idea for me to go after my own parents?" She continued.

Sayah shook her again another time. "Seriously? You STILL want to go after Gong? You don't think this is all just some coincidence or whatever that he chose you? It's not like he purposely did it." She said.

Sayah couldn't believe it. After being threatened and practically berated, Daru still wanted the girl to come along with her crusade against Gong. After what she went through? After the amount of emotional stress she was put on? Daru still wanted her to remain loyal to a degree to her? Most importantly, she still wanted to go after Gong? ...Oh, who the hell was Sayah kidding? She was going to do it anyway. Daru might've been a bipolar bitch that was high on intense emotions and a sudden hunger for revenge... but she still saw Daru as an invaluable asset to her life, even if the aforementioned didn't see her as the same. The sane thing for her to do was walk away and avoid Daru at all costs. Though... she always saw her as motivation to do better and to match her prowess, one day. Plus, she was lucky to have someone like her in her corner.

"Alright... fine, you got me. I'm in." Sayah muttered in agreement. "But... we're only going to talk to him. No fighting or nothin'. If there's even a hint of a brawl going on, I'm bailing immediately." She said.

Daru's expression was hardened, but she gave Sayah a resolved nod. She knew she'd give in eventually. "Understandable." She took a step back and walked around Sayah to get herself ready. "We'll be leaving for General Gong immediately. The sooner we deal with him, the sooner we'll get my answers." She said.

Their confrontation could go down in multiple ways, it all depended on how Daru approached it. Whether it ended peacefully or in bloodshed, all Daru wanted was answers. Most importantly, why.

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Jun 25, 2023 22:30:27 GMT -5

Post by Daru on Jun 25, 2023 22:30:27 GMT -5

A few hours later, Daru and Sayah arrived in front of a tall building. In there would be General Gong's office. It was late; with the sun down and dusk evident in the sky, most of the members within the building left for the day, all except of General Gong. For centuries, his schedule has been consistent. On days like this, he usually stays overnight to focus on paperwork and other duties that need to be fulfilled. If Daru was correct, Gong should still be in his office. She knew better than to try and pull off her initial plan in broad daylight and a full house. For now, it was better to get answers and decide if things should escalate or not.

Daru was mildly surprised with Sayah willing to tag along. If she were honest, she would've completely understood if the girl refused to join the confrontation altogether. Of course the deal was Sayah to follow only for the confrontation and anything beyond that she would abandon the demon. Still, even if she didn't display it clearly, she did appreciate the girl coming along despite the circumstances she put her through. Truthfully, Daru could've done this on her own if all she was going to do was to talk to Gong. She could've brushed Sayah aside, if she wanted to. In a way, it was to make up for putting Sayah through her drunk bullshit, so it can count as an apology of some sort. Kind of.

A few flight of stairs later, Daru and Sayah arrived in front of General Gong's door. The demon turned to Sayah before she knocked on the door. "I'm not so much blinded and drunk on rage as I was before," She started off, which prompted Sayah to giggle at what was assumed to be an attempt of a joke; though whether or not Daru was actually trying to crack a joke at a time like this was left to be known. "So you're more than welcomed to go ahead and leave. This'll be between Gong and I. Conversation only. No violence. I'll ca-"

"Stop." Sayah held her hand in Daru's face to interrupt the demon. "I already agreed I'd come only if we talk to him. If you try to fight up, try to roughen him up, that's when I'll leave. Those are the terms we've agreed with, so no point in backing out now when I'm already here with you. Let's just... I'll follow your lead, but I'll be sure to bring your ass back to reality if you get a little too aggressive." For the first time, Sayah's tone was stern. It came somewhat as a shock since it wasn't often Sayah was in a serious mood, but Daru somewhat appreciated that the girl stuck around.

All Daru did was give a slow nod of approval with a, "Fair enough." as her response before she looked back at the door. Her hand curled into a fist and slammed her knuckles against the door four times. A few seconds went by of total silence after the knock, and eventually the knob was twisted as the door was then pulled open.

On the other side was General Gong himself; an alien humanoid that resembled a Namekian to an extent. Aside from his green skin, short stubby horns on top of his head, and orange spots all over his body, it was his astonishing height of six feet four inches that easily towered the two women. When he spotted them, he gave them a friendly smile; one that they were very familiar with, and one that made Sayah's heartache for what was about to go down. "Daru, Sayah. A pleasant surprise. You two usually don't come here often, let alone me getting visitors around this hour." He greeted them with a smooth voice. "What brings you two here?" He asked.

"We need to talk. You and I in particular." Daru was straightforward with her request, skipping the usual formalities whenever they met.

"Eh... don't mind me, I'm sort of here as backup. Well, not backup, but... just also here to converse, I guess." Sayah awkwardly mumbled.

Gong looked between Daru and Sayah, suspicion raising but his face kept his signature cordial look. "Sounds urgent. I'm assuming this can't wait until the morning." His assumption was left in the air for any potential correction, but the women stood silent. "Very well, you two may enter." He granted them permission to come in as he stepped aside for the two women to come in.

As Daru and Sayah entered the office, they were met with orderliness and organization. Not a single thing about this office changed over the years; it was as if they were still young when they arrived for the first time. General Gong walked over to his desk and leaned forward, his friendly demeanor remaining intact. "So... what can I do for you, ladies? Or Daru in particular, you seem like you have more to address." He said.

Without wasting a single second, Daru went for the jugular. "Sazgon and Berra." She announced two names. Those names belonged to the slaves she tracked down when she received the news that they escaped... her parents. It was a subtle change, but Daru noticed Gong's smile falter a little yet it still remained. Even Sayah couldn't stop herself from reacting when she caught onto the fact that those could be her parents' names. "A few weeks ago, you sent me specifically after them." She said.

Gong only nodded in agreement while keeping his cool. "That's true. You were the only one available for the task." He claimed.

Daru shook her head in disbelief. "Liar. You purposely sent me to do it." She said.

"And on what grounds were they on purpose? Sure, I could have sent anyone, and sure, I picked you to return them. You didn't know them, so it could've been easier for you to retrieve them to bring them back. Although... it was a damn shame they backed you into a corner to the point where you had to use... lethal force. They were good laborers, to be frank. Yes, sometimes a few instances of physical force were needed to put them in line, but-"

The demon stalked up to the table that Gong stood on the other side of and slammed both hands on the table, a sneer crawled on her lips. "You knew exactly why you sent me after them. You knew how much these lowlife soldiers come at me everyday because of my parents. You knew how much it drove me over the edge. You... you made me murder my own parents!" She snapped.

Gong tilted his head in innocent confusion, though his smile continuing to alter further. "Hmm. I'm deeply sorry you came to drastic measures in regards to your parents, but I'd best watch my tone if I were you, Daru. Your job was to bring them back, never to murder them. I never once hinted at the fact that you should inflict harm on your parents." He explained himself.

"...Now," Gong paused for a moment to sit down and lean back in his chair. "If all you're going to do is throw accusations, I think it'd be in best of both of your interests that you leave. Now." He warned.

WC: 1,226
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Gong:

"Only A Failure Abandons His Principles And Pride."

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Jun 25, 2023 22:38:22 GMT -5