A Bird and a Wolf

[Kauket]

She glared out to the right, observing the window for a moment. The dark endless storm that engulfed Kepler was naturally lingering, captivating in its bleak madness of a twisted murky storm. Within the distance, a bright light shimmered, blinking. Perhaps it was an anomaly, or something more. It twinkled there within the great distance, partially obscured by the grim dark matter particles. She glared back at him for a moment,

"We can never truly know what fate has in store for us, the mind is an enigma of its own, despite science insinuating it is nothing more than complex synapses and electromagnetic energy. I cannot determine what your subconscious wants to know, but sometimes, curiosity is not as straight forward as some like it to be. Perhaps you see something others cannot."

Returning her gaze to the enigmatic light within the distance. Seemingly, she seems to be aware of something more, puckering her lips in ponder, allured by the curious thoughts invoked by the anomaly.

"Or perhaps, you are merely a victim of the forces of chaos, following an undetermined path, carving your own fate with temptations of desire. For adventure. To do something new to freshen your mind up. It's an answer you will have to discover on your own. "

Taking a prolonged sip of the crimson alcoholic beverage, there was a brief comment as a mere jest,

"... I believe one calls that boredom. "

[Hemlocke]

---

The grin faded into a smirk as a philosophical sequence began, his eyes watched her intently as he listened, briefly following her gaze to the anomaly in the distance, though his attention turned back to the bar, still in his rested position. Though he did follow the discourse with a calm tone to his reply.

"I find philosophy needlessly complicated. Not that I am incapable of understanding it, though it fails to remove itself from the bad habits of man, or rather we fail to remove ourselves from those habits, thus spinning in circles endlessly. What causes intrigue and curiosity, is mystery, an answer we do not have, the vagueness of it, how what we seek eludes us."

"The more questions we ask, the more convoluted it becomes, yet it's still just as vague and out of reach as it was at the beginning, so all we've done, is lost the beauty of simplicity."

He chuckled at both the jest and the fact she had managed to get him going with the topic. leaning back into his position as he resumed his observant gaze at the battered figure across.

"I don't believe in the end the reasons for which we commit matter. The simplest answer, driven by lust, a chosen path, or a victim of fate. Is that we want to. Or we wouldn't do it. A dangerous thing, people doing whatever they want."

---

[Kauket]

She gazed back at him.

"A simple life then. There is no shame in that. Afterall, one wouldn't want to be stuck within an endless loop of thought. Although. There is also no shame in pondering our actions, the outcomes, the possiblities, in order to allow your horizons and options to broaden, one must be aware of them. "

An intermission to take a longer gulp on the drink, she placed the glass down.


"I like to meditate. To instropect. To know what is right, and to quell any bad thoughts that linger. I like to see these possibilities, these ... perspectives. To limit yourself within the confines on your mind will trap you into a narrow minded path. Our emotions tend to tie us down, binding us to ignorance. Other times, it can empower you with strength, with unshattering will to go forward. Lifeforms all have varying perspectives. "

Interlocking her palms together on the table surface, she leans upon them, a smirk forming on her face in a devious manner as she intends to drop a controversial opinion that may upset a bypasser, should they hear it.

"Allow me to ask you this: Do you believe the Nomads are evil? Do you think they should be exterminated?"

[Hemlocke]

---

By this time his face had returned to its inquisitive neutrality, his shoulders shifting slightly to get more comfortable as she transitioned out of the topic on a note that would leave them both on even footing, even if of differing opinions. It either came in natural stride or she was being diplomatic. Either way there was no reason to chase the topic of how one lives their lives, it's an old conversation.

His right eyebrow lifted following her inquiry of the nomads. His eyes traveled over the bar slowly to gauge the reactions of anyone nearby that might've been in ear shot before looking back to the woman. A bad place to do something like that, though in his mind he thought it was some sort of test to see if he'd say what was on his mind regardless of setting. His head cocked ever so slightly to the side just like it did earlier at the counter as he attempted to discern why she asked the question. Truthfully caught off guard, he decided to ask his own question to buy him some time to think over how he was going to word it.

"Have we not had this conversation before?"

---

[Kauket]

There was nothing more said. She glared at him with a devious smirk, urging him to answer, providing only a silent teasing stare.

[Hemlocke]

---

The mischief the bird caused was well known by anyone around her, infamous to friend and foe alike. He found amusement in the fact he led himself right into this. Though his facial expression warped into grim neutrality, his human eye displayed a challenging spark within them as he weighed the situation he was now in. His right hand slid forward slightly on the same thigh, his index moving, one tap, two, three. Tongue in cheek for but a singular moment. His jaw finally shifted to speak as he held an intense stare.

"Good and Evil lies within the realm of morality, a subjective concept often used as yet another excuse in the arsenal of man. If we separate morality, it is a war between species, neither can cease the fight lest they wish to perish. Adding morality to both sides, each have committed atrocity against each other."

A pause, knowingly not answering the second part of the question, though it was not a delay more so he was continuing the thought. His crimson eye darted to the left at a sudden movement, staring at a man across the bar before his eyes returned to the woman.

"My personal opinion is that there is far more to enjoy about ending the life of a human, than there is to temporarily inconveniencing a nomad."

Another pause.

"Extermination of either would end the game. So I'll counter. Should the game be ended?"

---

[Kauket]

Revenant took her palm back up to her cheek, grinning, leaning against the table in interest. There was some morbid fascination about his interests in murder.



"As enjoyable as the games are, along with the chaos it produces, all things come to an end. Even play time. "


Her voice lowered, still smirking, enjoying the controversy,


"Humanity has been a blight on progress, on technological enlightenment, on higher learner, on all life. It needs to die and to be born anew. Or they will simply die in wilful ignorance, inevitably only to choke out from overexpansionist greed. Chaos, enlightened me to that truth. Leeds.

Do tell me, why is it so fulfilling for you? What is it that you feel?"

Highly intrigued how a Rogue can be so self aware yet so ensnared by desire, she took a sip in ponder, finishing up the crimson beverage.

[Hemlocke]

---

In some situations, Revenant had been a tad zealous in her disposition against wanton murder and needless destruction, and yet, here she was, finding morbid fascination in satisfying her curiosity over that very thing. It brought a slight smile to the man's face as she continued speaking, being brought out of the usual arguments over morality and how evil and or animalistic he was. And into a genuine conversation about the intricacies of conflict was an oddity all to rare for him.

Despite the previous tenseness of being put on the spot over such a controversial topic, he briefly adjusted in his seat, pressing his hands onto the table as he lifted and brought himself fully onto the seat, straightening his back and exhaling briefly as he considered her words over progress and supposed salvation arisen from the ashes of a previous existence. A fairy tail in his mind, even if he admitted the goal was admirable, there was no way to attain such a thing without destroying the very things that made humans what they were. Taking that away isn't rebirth, it's making something new entirely, though in his head that fit perfectly with the picture of the woman he was looking at, as Technocrats had already begun taking that step.

The gears turning in his head was visible by the intensity of his gaze, he took time to truly consider his answer.

"Humanity is, humanity. It ebbs and flows, like water. That water can be dark or light, stained in blood or filled with jewels. Yet in the end, it is still water. Destruction to one is justice to another, progress to you impedes the work of another and visa versa. Every goal an insert of selfish desires, a belief that one works towards something that is different from the endlessly repeated history we see playing out today. Humanity has never been different, its one constant, is destruction. If you destroy it, then you yourself, adhere to being human."

His smile twisted into an almost sadistic grin of enjoyment.

"You wish to know why I enjoy ending the life of another? Because despite all creeds, all morality, all belief, all goals, every attempt to hide from what they truly are, and every step taken to distance themselves from consequence. They end up before me. Wondering where it all went wrong, and still attempting to find some excuse, some reason, some saving grace or salvation, a lie or plea to change my mind. To escape the end of their perceived correct path through life."

"I don't hide behind morality. I don't subscribe to ideas of sin or virtue. I admit, and embrace what I am. I enjoy, being the most human of them all."

---

[Kauket]

"Ah-ha. But destruction is simply a bit of nature, a part of evolution, no? To plant life, to creatures, to the mere microscopic bacteria, the process of elimination, change - always occurs. Life. Death. Existance. "

Twiddling with the empty glass, she tapped on it, rolling it slightly by the base. Retaining a neutral expression of curiosity, she continued, trying to analyse his face.


"So, the sensation of being in control, of strength, to show dominance, is what satisfies you in taking a life?"

---

[Hemlocke]

---

Despite how zealous he himself was at the definition of humanity, he could appreciate her viewpoint, if not only because it wasn't the usual argument of good and evil, right or wrong. The grin faded slightly, though he was still very clearly amused. Especially by her deduction. A light chuckle was emitted through a low release of air.

"Each a pleasure in their own right, but no. Nothing so cliche. It's the experience, the gateway opened into their mind, watching the chaos unfold as each realization hits harder than the last. Seeing their final moments, is grand. Each person unique, none like the other, such is true for the way each of us dies. All a different spectacle."

"Impending death forces a mind to shed its unimportant qualities, overcomplications such as beliefs and morals, and focus on survival. It boils one down, and shows what they are at their base, even if entirely contradictory to their values. It's delightfully, and sometimes cruelly ironic, especially for those who despise me for being an animal. For them to become an animal themselves."

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