A Bird and a Wolf

[Kauket]

There was a moment of awkwardness, certainly there was no point in changing the mindset of a mad man. Though, there was some thought whether he had actually enjoyed anything else than mindless murder.

"Instinct remains within all living things, Wolf. Is it not logical that life yearns to survive? Panic, overwhelm, it is anticipated when one is cornered. When all options have drawn short.

Do you not find the same amusement in tricking one's mind? To trip them up, without forcing it. To make themselves fail without raising your hand?"

Glaring at him, there were some lingering thoughts, a reminiscient memory of being within the Core. The idea of her previous genocidal quest against the Corsairs drew some similarities, although not entirely. Was she any better than him, despite having a goal in mind? Perhaps not. Regardless, the notion remained on mind for a moment, the prejudice certainly remained despite the change of ideology. Knowledge. Artifacts. Sites being churned up for the sake of profit.

There was a moment where she held a displeased expression of irk, stone cold and stoic in nature of her face freezing in subtle disdain, yet in light of the conversation - she forcefully attempted to remain neutral, offering only a sharp gaze.

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[Hemlocke]

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The moment of awkwardness piqued his curiosity once again, like a prick. His lip twitched as he stared forward at the woman. The way humans drew the line in the sand so inconsistently, she did not believe nomads evil despite what they do. Yet she judged him for the doing the same. She was restraining herself to avoid his ire, believing it so easily sparked. She was right after all, he had been known to snap by even minor things. His eyes wandered for a brief moment toward the anomaly she had pointed out earlier, in thought. The sharp gaze brought his eyes back, the first time the urges had welled within when in the bird's presence. Was she was truly so different to him, even distanced from her days within the Core. How much had she truly changed. His eyes stared unblinking, no emotion obvious other than that morbid curiosity that briefly overlapped between the two.

"You wish to know if there is complexity to the picture. More, than what the surface shows."

She could swear there was a light taunting nature to his tone hidden behind the neutrality.

"I play such a game now.. watching him underestimate me. Watching him boast... overextend... His fear is what delays his hand. He fears failure, because he's never experienced failure, never lost. He has not felt pain, as you have."

His tone softened when he spoke of failure, loss, pain. His scarred arms shifting into his lap as he watched the woman. His mind could not grasp, even fathom. How she could end up with such a goal, such an outlook, suffering as much perhaps more by comparison. Her past was as obscure to him as his was to her. A light smirk appeared on his face.

"So much about others, so little about yourself."

A pause, and an expectant grin.

"Do you not feel it? The urge to bring pain and misery to those who have wronged you. The desire for victory over those who took what was yours. Put those you cared for in danger. The wish to see their thrones and lies crumble to dust. To bring them down to your level, see the fear in their eyes, the regret."

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[Kauket]

Retaining the stone cold stare, she continued.

"An endless game of revenge gets you nowhere - I seek knowledge, truth, enlightenment and development. Not an endless war. True, perhaps, one could eliminate the majority of Humanity and subjuguate them for their own good, to guide them onto a better path. Such an action is costly, and may do more harm than good. "

The premise of a teasing gesture was missed in the apathetic stance she held, or perhaps, she choose to ignore it. Yet, a sensation of being puzzled was had, unsure about him closing up. It was a surprise to her to hear that he never suffered a loss, despite his damaged appearance.


"I am afraid there is nothing quite fascinating to learn about me, Wolf. Perhaps back then I would indulge on an eye for an eye, or perhaps, an eye for a face. These days, I have grown past that. Humanity as fascinating as it is, are nothing more than endless tribes of vile desperate individuals. Let them strike me, they will die in such desperation, or earn nothing from my death.

To kill, is to eliminate one's own opportunities for potential growth. Or, of course, to seal such fate to prevent such opportunities. Misery is entertaining for a short while, but I find more entertainment value in disrupting their mental state."

A moment of silence was had as she glared at him, tightening her expression in trailing thought. Random distractions started to surface, calculating upon these thoughts. There was much to think about, particularly about the Triage. She slowly gazed over to the windows, staring at the dark storm that raged on out there. For a moment, she saw something for a brief moment. Humming, she looked back at the Rogue.

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[Hemlocke]

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The grin persisted as he listened, something about her was still drawing him in, his curiosity, the wondering, the answers that were sitting just out of reach. Even now she was guarding herself, they both were. Contradictory to her ideals, which required someone to make the first move, someone to open up, to make the change. Utterly fascinating and almost enthralled by the complexity of the picture.

"You have found fulfilment in proving them wrong? By being better? Or... you are indifferent."

The man thinks back. Trying to find a time in which his life lead him to such a crossroads, to a choice he even decided to entertain, to consider. Being better... A restraint like any other, to "be better", his mind twisting with such a thought as the grin faded from his face. No, others only adhere to morality and honor when it suits them. There is no being better. Yet... he also could not find a time in memory in when the woman before him had actually stooped to their level. The woman got a look at the "realization" in his eyes, the one he spoke of. A flash, a shift in stare as if something had clicked. A slow blink as it registered, his focus fading out, before narrowing back in rapidly. There was no contradiction. She had not scorned the researcher, she had not chased after her would be killers. How? The question permeated every layer of his conscious. His face shifted slowly to the left to stare at her from an angle, clearly perplexed and confused. Yet the intrigue was still ever present despite the narrowed gaze.

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