[IC] Friends in the Void.

[Ramjammer]

The Raven glared at the new Human suspiciously and their feathers ruffled visibly as she began to chatter on. Her voice was only slightly less annoying than her hair, and Rasteva began to wonder if Humans were naturally inclined to be as obnoxious as possible. Lifting a wing the placed it over Sara's head and pulled her closer and whispered gently. "This one talks too much, and her friend makes me nervous." The Raven's eyes flicked towards the accessory in the other girl's hair, it's aura bearing down on the Daemon. While it was not the strongest Daemon they'd ever met, they were still stronger than Rasteva. This fact made them wary and left them feeling somewhat offended. There was a time when THEY were the strongest.

But as Humans often said. Times change.

Something the pink haired girl perked Rasteva's interest and they turned their beady eyes back on her. The mention of combat intrigued the Daemon's interest somewhat and it broached a topic they were more than familiar with. Aside from natural growth a Daemon gained power by defeating and consuming others of their own kind. While other species might see the cannibalizing of their own kind as nothing short of barbaric, Daemons saw it as an opportunity.

And Rasteva was nothing if not an opportunist.

They were sure that they would lose to the Daemon called Kivash, but if they could snatch away even a portion of the other Daemon's power it would be a step in the right direction. Rasteva glanced down at the pamphlets in Sara's hands before looking back up at the girl. "I am in agreement with her Sara. I will do battle with this other Daemon. What say you on the matter? Do you feel up to a sporting duel?"

[knuxieh]

Sara held back a small giggle of sorts at Rasteva's initial comment regarding the young woman in front of them. As her companion agreed to going head-to-head in a sense against her classmate's Daemon, she nodded. "If you're alright with it. I can't say I'm up to it...I'm not sure how it all works." She admitted, opening one of the pamphlets. The girl she had been talking to was still tapping about her headpiece, pleading for her Daemon to come out and help her. It didn't seem like she was getting anywhere, until she mentioned how disappointed she was and was going to take it with her to pick out another hair accessory but obviously since it was too busy being a 'meanie head' it wouldn't be interested in such a thing.

Almost immediately, the hairpiece glowed a green color as it took on a form resembling a medium-sized house cat with varied coat markings. A bow around its neck was tied off with the hairpiece that was now gone from its owners hair. Stretching out, the Daemon turned to look towards the woman with pink hair. "Jenna. Let's not be rash here. You obviously know I'm more than willing to help others. No need to go so far as to limit my wardrobe." It hissed playfully towards her, swatting at her loose string with its paw. Remembering it had guests, its head turned and tilted, looking to the raven on Sara's shoulder.

"Oh my goodness You're...really hanging onto the edge there, aren't you?" It teased with a fanged grin. "Well, hanging might be better than..disappearing, I'm sure. So - you're sure you want to do this? I'm not going to end you or anything. I'd never see another hair accessory in my life." It mused, looking rather horrified at the thought, bringing a paw to its mouth. "Regardless, come down here, won't you?" It asked, patting the space in front of it for Rasteva. "I'm sure you're not new to how fighting works, but it's a bit different when humans are involved. They enjoy structure, order - well most of them do anyway. So, instead of the horrendous blood baths we're used to we have to take 'turns' or wait for the other to make a move before doing any damage at all. A little on the boring side, isn't it?" It chuckled.

Jenna looked to Sara. "Depending on how long you've been with your Daemon, and the closer your bond you might even be able to just talk to them without saying a word. It really helps keep the element of surprise up with your fighting that you do. All the fights I've seen that have been televised have those kinds of bonds. They just make a slight movement of their eyes or shift their body and their Daemon just goes into action, it's crazy!" She shrieked, jumping in place. Realizing they were still in the open though, she scooped up her Daemon. "Kivvy~! We've gotta go home first, ya crazy cat!" Giggling, she motioned for Sara and Rasteva to follow as she ran forward at a moderate pacing to her home. "My mom won't care if we play out in the backyard." That's what her mother followed this as anyway, just a big game that they were all playing.

Arriving at home, she entered, motioning for Sara to follow her inside and waved. "Hey Mumma-Dear! I'm homeeeee! I brought a classmate over, we're gonna play in the backyard for a little while! She might stay over, kay?" She called up the stairs, a much calmer voice agreeing to her having company over, letting them know they would order in for dinner. Turning back towards Sara as she moved through the entryway and towards the kitchen, she slid the door open and let Sara out first into the backyard, closing it behind her as she moved outside and set Kivash down. "There, there. Much better. We will risk other people joining in the fight if we're just in the backyard. Oh - I hope you don't mind staying over. Afterwards, even with the energy Steva will get from the fight they'll be a little out of sorts until it all settles. They might be a bit more comfortable in their object, though I don't think it will be enough for them to make a form on their own...I'm not sure." She thought a moment. "I'm sure it isn't...out of the way for us to give you energy, but I think it'll be much more rewarding for your type of Daemon if they earned their form back instead of just being given. They seem quite prideful, I mean look at the object they chose." Jenna teased with a friendly grin.

"So, you ready to do this? Kivvy and I will go over all the rules as we go so it's not just a large information dump, haha!"

[Ramjammer]

Rasteva ruffled their feathers and regarded the other Daemon with a critical look, remaining perched on Sara's shoulder. The feline's comment about them barely hanging on raised a bit of ire within them and their voice was clipped as they answered in turn. "I can assure you that I very well versed in combat. Though I must say the Human's methods strike me as odd, if a bit pointless." As far as Rasteva was concerned there were no rules to combat. Having cannibalized more than their fair share of fellow Daemons, they could not comprehend the Human's needs for law and order. Especially when the species was so prone to disregarding such things down the line anyhow.

The Daemon turned their eyes back to the pink haired girl, her words holding some interest to them. Rasteva's eyes flicked towards Sara briefly. Though she was very kind, Sara seemed to lack a certain confidence required of a warrior and the Daemon worried if she would be up to the task. She was handling everything well enough now, but the Daemon was worried if it might become too overwhelming down the road. Resolving to save that for a discussion once they were alone, Rasteva turned their attention back to Jenna and Kivash. The girl's suggestinon that they fight in a more secluded place was met agreement from the Raven. They were not sure how they would fare in combat, but the less people that were around to witness their embarrassment the better.

Rasteva kept to the air as they and Sara followed the other girl, scanning the area with interest. Jenna had been right in a sense, from their vantage in the air Rasteva could sense many Daemon in the area. Each one's soul shone like a flame in the darkness, but they could not tell who they were or how strong. The swooped lower down and alighted on Sara's shoulder once they had reached the other girl's home, their eyes darting around somewhat suspiciously. While Kivash and their Human seemed nice enough the Daemon knew good and well what their species was truly like. Power hungry and aggressive, it was no wonder that Daemon's had begun partnering with Humans in an effort to raise their own status. Every victory they gained pushing them one step closer to the upper echelons of strength, it was only a matter of time before some of them began to get out of hand. The Raven hummed softly, eyes moving back to Sara. This too was something they would have to explain, though the Daemon was once more beginning to feel guilty. They seemed to be heaping a lot on the Human suddenly, and they wondered if she might reach her limits and tell Rasteva to leave.

Rasteva pushed the intrusive thoughts aside as Jenna and Kivash led them to the backyard, resolving to deal with each new problem one step at a time. Fluttering from Sara's shoulder and onto the ground, the Daemon withdrew from their vessel, a cloud of smoke erupting out of the Raven. They would need a form to fight, but they only possessed enough energy to project a small one, no bigger than Kivash. The Daemon mulled over their options for a moment before deciding to settle on something simple yet effective. The Smoke coiled in on itself, forming a rope of sorts. Concentrating intently the Daemon's form took shape, becoming more and more solid until it was complete. Rasteva reared their head up, tongue flicking out as they flared their hood. Snakes were easy, they had no arms or legs and had the added bonus of being fantastic predators. The Cobra sliterethed towards Kivash, tongue flicking out rapidly as they stared at the other Daemon. "This will do for now. I am ready to begin when you are."

[knuxieh]

The cat laughed at Rasteva’s pride. “Well, I have to agree with Jenna here. Prideful you are. I did say that I knew you were no stranger to fights. Pointless? Maybe. But, this is the way they call for things to be done and there isn’t too much us Daemons can do about it without a swift..punishment.” Kivash shuddered, their tail prickling up slightly at the thought. Their eyes glistened with interest as Rasteva emerged from their vessel of choice, taking on the form of a snake. “Oooh, a snake! Interesting! I love playing with my enemies.” They grinned.

Jenna smiled. “Alright, now – generally speaking in the official matches like what we’re having, your Daemon’s stats tend to be important. You can increase different skills by doing different activities with your Daemon. We can get into all that later. But the most important factor with these, are power. No matter what we humans think is the most useful, Daemons move with power-hungry tendencies. The more powerful, the more advantage. Since Kivash is the stronger of the two, he’ll move first.” Giving her and Rasteva a moment to process what she just said, Jeanna moved to flick her pink hair over her shoulder. "The world is such an ugly place—"

Kivash stretched out and afterwards, seemed to lower to the ground, ready to strike. “It definitely needs a makeover~” They mewed, jumping towards a bright blue ribbon Jenna pulled from her wrist, and lunging at Rasteva, its paws deftly tying an impressive but simple ribbon around the neck of the snake form it had taken. Moving back, Kivash sat still, their tail swishing patiently back and forth. Jenna motioned towards Sara.

“It’s your turn to move now. You and your Daemon haven’t gotten in sync yet, so they’ll probably just try to fight on their own for a while. Kivvy did the same thing, until we decided to sit for a while and get to know each other. After that, figuring your attack style becomes pretty easy!” Kivash made a motion for Rasteva to make their move. When they would begin to, a small amount of energy would be sapped from them, and it could be seen as small orbs as they hovered over Kivash’s form, absorbing into the fur as they purred in delight.

Sara couldn't help wondering if there was a common ground for her and Rasteva to come to terms on. It seemed Jenna and her Daemon had a pretty decent understanding of one another. Could Rasteva and her really achieve similar results? She herself wasn't much of a fighter in the first place, while Rasteva seemed to be quite seasoned as he brought up every now and again. Once it was Rasteva's turn she really wasn't sure what his abilities were, or what to say. It didn't even sound like Jenna had given an attack command. Maybe they were close enough where word cues could be paralleled to commands? Her eyes moved towards Rasteva's snake form as orbs emerged from them, and were absorbed into Kivash. She thought that Jenna would explain what just happened, but it looked like she was going to wait until the fight was over to explain her attacks.

[Ramjammer]

Rasteva listened intently to both Kivash and Jenna as they went over the rules of combat. They frankly found the whole thing to be boring and pointless but was well aware of their importance. The last thing the Daemon wanted to do was appear rude and potentially embarrass Sara. Glancing up at the girl, they could see that she seemed interested but nervous. The Cobra let out a low hiss, she was a bit green for this. But then again so were they. Neither of them could claim a grasp on the rules of engagement here and so at least they were confused together. Rasteva slithered forward letting out an irritated hiss at both Kivash's and Jenna's posturing. They should have known that the rules of these battles would allow for such things, and the Daemon prepared themselves for a lot of monologuing in the future.

Settling their body low to the ground, Rasteva awaited Kivash's first strike. They did not wait long and the cat leaped forward quickly. Rasteva attempted to slither away but Kivash was more than able to keep pace with them. A strip of blue cloth found its way around Rasteva's neck and the Daemon writhed and thrashed as they attempted to get it off. The ribbon began to tighten uncomfortably around their neck and Rasteva felt themselves weaken. Several orbs burst from their scales, each one pitch black in color they seemed to absorb all light rather than reflect it. Rasteva felt a surge of rage at seeing their power once more stripped from them before being absorbed by Kivash. "No....That does not belong you!"

Righting themselves quickly, the Cobra darted quickly towards the cat. Lunging forward, Rasteva extended their jaws to reveal sharp fangs glinting dangerously in the light. The Cobra struck quickly, fangs digging into one of Kivash's front legs. Even with a mouthful of fur Rasteva could still be heard hissing loudly. "Let us see how quickly you can move without the use of a leg!" Rasteva's fangs dug into Kivash deeply, attempting to draw power directly from the other Daemon. In their ire they had completely forgotten about Sara, too caught up in getting their strength back.

[knuxieh]

Sara's eyes moved towards Rasteva as he hissed towards the pair. It didn't seem as if they appreciated all the extra fanfare the duo was giving their attacks. But, from her limited interactions with them, they didn't really have much patience for anything except for fighting it seemed. A...ribbon? That was an attack? She couldn't tell if the ribbon was actually too tight for comfort, or if it was simply Rasteva's impatience for most things. Since this was a practice match to help them get a better feel of how combat worked, she would have thought perhaps that her now snake companion would have tried making their way around their opponent, or at the very least, trying to remove the bright ribbon around their neck. What they did opt for though, surprised her. They were biting at Kivash's leg now! That seemed a bit...no, very uncalled for! Moving to scold the rather angry snake, Jenna held her hand up to stop her. If her Daemon wanted to act so rashly, they would have to indeed pay the price for it. They had to learn to work as a team, and if one of them had a short temper and was easy to anger to act so boldly, they weren't going to last very long.

Kivash winced as they felt the snakes front fangs dig into their left leg. "How. Rude." They growled. "You really are simple-minded as the being you have taken to be, aren't you?" The look of hate in Rateva's eyes more than affirmed their thoughts. Nothing else mattered to them right now. Except getting even with the being who had 'wronged' them. "It was only a small amount. Not like there was much for the taking, anyways." The cat could have easily flung Rasteva from them with little effort. Instead, they cast a look back towards their partner. Oh yes, even with fangs deep into their leg, they still remembered they were a part of a team, and any reckless actions could indeed cause deadly consequences towards them. Seeing Kivash make eye contact with her, Jenna sighed.

"Manners, manners. How rude. Give them a lesson, won't you Kivvy?"

The cat smiled. "With pleasure, with pleasure, My Dear~" In a moment, Rasteva's mouth was flooded with the power they had drawn initially plus extra. So much at once would surely overwhelm them. Power was meant to be absorbed over a period of time, not simply shot into a being in one go. Kivash quickly swatted the snake off it after shooting the power into them. It's leg was hurt from the puncture, and the rather abrupt swat, but it was better than begin attached once the snake's vessel realized what just happened.

Jenna glanced back up towards Sara. "I...wouldn't stand too close to them, if I were you. They seem like they have rather violent tendencies. Depending on how much Kivvy actually gave them, they might end up getting overwhelmed and passing out. Or...well...something else." She trailed off, not really feeling like going into specifics, not because she didn't really -want- to, but because it was rather complicated and hard to explain.

[Ramjammer]

Unbelievable! To think that something like this could happen! Rasteva let out another low hiss and dug their fangs deeper into Kivash, but the Cat seemed to pay no mind. The Daemon felt their temper flare up as both Kivash and Jenna insulted them in turn. Being rendered weak was insult enough, but to be mocked by mere CHILDREN was more than Rasteva could bear. "You dare? You dare insult me? I could render this pitiful world of yours to mere dust if I wanted! I-" The Cobra was cut off suddenly as a veritable fount of power slammed into them. Kivash's mocking voice could be heard over the roar in the Daemon's ears and before they could reply they were tossed aside like a mere toy by the Cat. Rasteva writhed and thrashed on the ground, their physical form felt on the verge of tearing apart. The power that Kivash had turned against them was far too much for them to bear, and their scaled body rippled before dispersing into a cloud of smoke.

It was quite possibly the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to Rasteva.

They could see Sara standing there staring at them. She seemed upset. She was upset at THEM.

It became too much to bear.

The Daemon quickly retreated into the False Raven they used as a body before flying off without a backwards glance. They tried to put as much distance between themselves and their shame as they could, but it clung to them even still. Kivash's mocking voice filled their mind, but not as much as Sara's disappointed gaze. Had they possessed the capability to cry, Rasteva surely would have. They had brought shame to themselves and they had brought shame to Sara. They deserved the poor body that they inhabited, truly undeserving of anything better. They perched themselves on the roof of some building or other, looking over the city somberly. Rasteva had no idea what to do now. They could not return to Sara, not after such a shameful display. But they could not seek to regain their body alone either.Perhaps I should give up. I've no hope of being who I was before this....." The Raven was so caught up in their self pity that they didn't notice the person standing behind them, but that did not last for very long.

"I did not think you were the type to sulk Sky Splitter. That IS what you were calling yourself wasn't it?"

Rasteva felt a sudden chill ripple through their form and they turned their small feathered body slowly, eyes zeroing in on the Human standing behind them. The Dark haired woman offered the Raven the barest of smiles, her eyes narrowed. "Oh dear you seemed a bit shocked to see me. As I recall I DID say that I would come and find you once you'd calmed down." Rasteva hopped back a bit, keeping their focus on the woman. "What do you want? Haven't you made mockery of me enough? Or do you intend to stand there and observe the spectacle you've made of me?" The woman's smile faded and she held up a gloved hand and waved it at the Daemon in a dismissive manner. "We both know that I do not waste time. We came here-" the woman rested her hand on the hilt of the ornately scabbarded sword at her side "to ask if you've given our previous offer any thought." Rasteva let out an indignant sqwak, feathers ruffling mightily. "Your audacity knows no bounds! You have heard my answer once before, what would ever make you think that it has changed?" The woman scoffs gently, and reaches into her coat to pull out a phone. She takes a moment to tap at the screen before showing it to the Daemon. A short video of a King Cobra being swatted aside by a Cat plays on the screen. "Well I would think that after such a devastating loss, you'd be more inclined to listen."

Rasteva's mind reeled. How had she gotten that video? And in such a short time? Had she been watching them this whole time? Had they been watching Sara as well?

Sara.

They had left her alone, she could be in danger. As if sensing the Daemon's thoughts the woman offered them another small smile. "Don't worry about your little friend. She is perfectly safe for the time being, I've no interest in the goings on of a child." The dark haired woman gave a flippant wave of her hand. "I mean, what is she going to do? Throw her Teddy Bear at me?" Rasteva felt a surge of anger in Sara's defense and snapped at the woman. "Leave her be! You know that she has done nothing deserving of your vile attention!" The Woman let out a soft chuckle, eyes narrowing. "Oh? You have grown so fond of her in such a short amount of time?" The woamn's expression fades into a mock pout. "And what does she have that I don't?" The Raven glared up at the Human woman, their voice tight. "Leave me be. My answer is still the same. Take your pet and remove yourself from my sight." The hand resting on the sword tightened almost imperceptibly around it, and the woman glanced down at the sheathed blade and whispered softly. "Now. Now. Where would be the challenge in that?" Turning her eyes back to the Raven she offered them a grin. "As you say God Killer. Perhaps after a few more losses you'll change your mind. Then you'll be crawling to me to accept my offer." She turned to leave, her back ramrod straight. As she strode away, the woman waved a hand back at the Daemon. "By the way. That thing I took from you. I still have it. I never gave it away. Keep that in mind, will you?"

[knuxieh]

Well, then.

"That...wasn't supposed to happen. Kivvy, how much did you give him?!" Jenna scolded, frowning towards the cat.

In response, the cat lifted its paws up in front of it, as if it would provide some shielding from her gaze. "I-I didn't even think it was that much! I'm sorry, Jenna - don't look at me like that, please." It whined a sad meow, walking over towards her and rubbing at her legs in an attempt to gain forgiveness. A soft sigh left Jenna's lips before she turned to Sara. Oh, man..

It all happened so quickly. One moment, Rasteva was biting Kivash, and then before she could process it, they were already back into the raven and disappeared quickly from sight. Sara frowned. This...was her fault. "I should have never agreed to have a practice fight so early...It was a poor call of judgement on my part.." Her hand rubbed at her arm. "I...appreciate you trying to help us, but we aren't going to be able to accept any further help unless we get our act together." The young woman laughed lightly, very aware that it wasn't funny at all that Rasteva had just left without a word.

"Sara, I-" Jenna moved forward, hand outstretched to take Sara's shoulder.

"No, no. I-I'm fine. Seriously. It's not your fault. Or Kivash's. It's something much more personal than what happened just now. I'm...going to head home for now. Thank you, for trying. If I have any other questions, I'll call you, alright? It's not your fault." After embracing the young woman for a few moments, she let herself out, making her way back with the help of her GPS on her phone. Unable to remember the exact way they took here from the coffee shop, it took her a little while to actually arrive. Once the coffee shop came into view, she pocketed her phone, and made her way back into her dorm. Her usual routine of the elevator, hallway, and locking the door behind her commenced, and she moved to put another frozen pizza in the oven.

Her whole body felt heavy with guilt. She was supposed to be helping Rasteva get closer to gaining their old body back...and she couldn't even make the responsible call to wait on battle. Twenty minutes went by and she took the pizza into her room this time, pulling back the curtains and opening the window only slightly to let the cool air into the bedroom. Beginning to eat her lunch, she stared out at the sky, wondering if Rasteva actually hated her. They were registered as her Daemon, but if they had disowned her there wasn't too much she could do about it. Glancing at the papers Jenna had given her, she pushed them aside. If they hadn't returned by morning, she would simply to them a favor and unregister them. Maybe they could find someone more...inclined to fight.

[Ramjammer]

Rasteva's mind was in turmoil as they flapped towards Sara's home. "That woman! That twice damned woman! She hasn't even made use of it! Of all the arrogant things..." The Daemon's thoughts were in a jumbled mess, and they struggled to correct them, to make sense of the meeting they'd just had.She said that she kept it....She hasn't given it to another Daemon yet.....But why?" The Daemon asked themselves but they already knew the answer and they didn't like it one bit. She was waiting. She was confident that Rasteva would accept the terms laid forth by her, and had they been another Daemon Rasteva was sure that they would have with no hesitation.

But they weren't another Daemon. They were themselves.

Sara's disappointed face flashed through their mind and Rasteva's stomach dropped. For their entire existence, the Daemon had always been unwavering in their identity and convictions. Right or wrong, every action they took was because they were themselves. No more and no less. But as of late it was becoming apparent to Rasteva that being themselves was a bad thing. From losing their power a few days ago all the way to being humiliated a few hours past, every decision they had made up to this point was nothing short of a critical error. Worse still Sara was irreparably caught up in their mistakes. The Daemon gazed around as the soared over buildings, eyeing everyone and everything with suspicion. They could sense Daemons all around, but they had no way of knowing who was friend and who was foe. Would she have even sent a Daemon to spy on Rasteva and Sara? Surely not, she was far too intelligent for that. It had to have been a human that was watching them. Rasteva felt a surge of irritation towards the woman, a not unfamiliar feeling when thinking of her. There was no telling who she had in her pocket, but they knew that the number had to be high. She had claimed that no harm would befall Sara, and Rasteva believed her on that end. Not through any Honor on the woman's part, but because Sara had yet to be proven a threat to her.

But that could change at any moment.

Sara's building came into view and the Raven circled overhead for a few moments. The sight of her bedroom light on had stolen any courage the Daemon had collected on the way there and they were stalling. "Honestly, look at you Rasteva. Too timid to speak with a Human Girl. Even now you prove them right....." The Raven circled a few more times, considering their options. In all honesty they expected Sara to want them gone. They'd embarrased her greatly, and didn't even have the dignity to accept the price of their own mistakes. Worse still she was being watched, and while Rasteva was in agreement that Sara was better off without them, they didn't have it in them to leave her alone. Gathering their courage, the Raven fluttered down to the Girl's window and perched on the sill. She was sitting on the bed, looking as despondant as when they left her ealier. Rasteva thought back to the conversation on the roof, and the question the woman had asked them.

"What does she have that I don't?"

Rasteva could name many reasons why Sara was better, chief among them that she wasn't an insufferable asshole. She was warm, and uncommonly kind. And she gave and gave, and expected nothing in return.

And she deserved far better than they.

Mustering up all the courage that they had in their tiny feathered body, Rasteva fluttered trough the window and onto Sara's bed. Hopping across the bedspread they looked up at her with beady eyes, voice soft. "I wish to apologize."

[knuxieh]

Sara finished her pizza quietly, her gaze absently staring out to the rooftops of many smaller buildings in the area. Her hand made contact with crumbs on the pizza box container, causing her to flinch at the lack of warm cheese to greet her fingertips. Already finished? Sighing, she stood and made to throw the pizza container away now, lest she leave it to sit on her desk for all eternity when it seemed important enough to actually do. It wasn't even that late in the day, but it felt as if hours had passed. On her way back, she went through her nightly routine early of shutting the curtains, and turning on the various plug-in lights she had before returning to her room again. As she entered, she moved towards her window, thinking to shut the curtains here as well, but decided against it. There was still daylight out...Maybe they would still come back. Turning to her bed, she moved to sit, idly checking her phone. She had various apologetic messages from Jenna, and had all means to respond to her but just didn't have it in her to do it just yet. In the morning. She would handle it all in the morning. A few swipes through her phone and she cast some instrumental music to her radio, it filling the room with its soothing melodies.

Leaning back against her pillows, she simply sat there, unsure what do really do with herself. It was still too early to turn in for the night. A noise of ruffling feathers got her attention, and she cast her gaze down towards Rasteva, jumping slightly once she realized that in fact, they were in front of her. "R-Rasteva! You...came back? And...you're..apologizing? You? To me?" She blinked a few times and shook her head quickly.

"No, no, no! This won't do! That's...That's not fair.." Sara frowned, obviously still upset. "I'm the one who is supposed to make rational decisions. I don't know how battle works, Rasteva! I should have been against it! I didn't know what to do, you have certain instincts, sure! But...that doesn't mean anything when we're up against people who know more than us!" The young woman bit her lip, and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm...not a fighter, okay? I would totally understand if you wanted someone else who can help you with this. I won't be offended, honest. It's just..you're very...easy to anger. You just left me out there..."

She looked down at Rasteva's small form and sniffled, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as her mind began filling in false blanks of situations that had never come to fruition. "What...What if we weren't against Jenna? What if someone like Ethan and his terrible Daemon had showed up? They meant you harm. What if you just abandoned me because you let your emotions get the better of you? How am I..." Sara wiped at her eyes, and looked away from Rasteva, casting her gaze at her lap. "...How am I expected to go up against them alone?"

[Ramjammer]

Rasteva was at a loss for words. They had already felt terrible for abandoning Sara, but they had no idea that she took it as personally as she was now. Her tears only made the situation worse, and the Raven shuffled nervously on the bed. What were they supposed to do? They had no idea how to comfort an upset Human, and in all honesty was the last person to be attempting it.

Ruffling their feathers gently the Daemon stared up at Sara. "Yes. Yes I understand...." The Raven ruffled their feathers again, mind in turmoil. Letting out a soft sigh, the Daemon flapped up onto Sara's knee and stared at her intently. "Sara. Listen to me. You are not at fault here. I am." The Raven looked down, shame filling them once more. "If I hadn't lost my body to begin with, we'd not be here currently. As it stands I could have done many things differently without getting you caught up in my nonsense." Rasteva thought back to the woman's offer on the roof, but instantly pushed the thoughts aside. "You are right in that I expect different things from you. I have only ever known victory and the thought of anything other than that does not sit well with me." The Daemon looked back up at the girl, their beady eyes regarding her intently. "But that doesn't mean that I should have treated you the way I did. I knew what was at stake, I knew that you were untested in battle and I gave it not a second thought. So great was my desire for power at any costs. Perhaps in a way I am deserving of this body."
The Raven stretched their wings, settling down on Sara's knee. "As it stands I've no desire to find another Human partner." The woman's smug face flashed in the Daemon's mind, and they shook their feathered head. "I know the exact kind of person that waits for me out there. No good will come of siding with them, of this I am certain. And I....I truly do not wish to leave you to fend for yourself Sara. You deserve better than someone like me. I know this well. But if you would allow it, I'd like to remain with you." The Daemon stared up Sara with pleading eyes. "I am small, and I am weak. I am angry....And I am LOST. Sara I do not know what to do. I am not even sure if I will ever be as I once was.....But I would rather try to regain what was lost to me at your side than at another's." Rasteva knew that their original power was being held somewhere. And they knew that to get it back all they needed to do was ask. But in doing so they would lose their soul. And all of Sara's hard work and her tears would be for nothing at all. Letting out a soft sigh, the Raven hopped from Sara's knee and flapped towards the windowsill. "You do not need to answer now. I will wait. And know that whatever choice you make here will not be questioned. If you no longer wish to have me here, then I will leave without question."

[knuxieh]

Sara sniffled, shaking her head. "You aren't deserving of any body except for the one you originally had. That's...why it's yours, isn't it? If...If you truly believed yourself deserving, you would have been content when you took it as your vessel." She herself couldn't imagine what other human was waiting for Rasteva out there, but she could only imagine it might be someone with similar intentions of Ethan. The admission of their own faults seemed to quell her nerves, if only slightly. Apologizing didn't seem in their nature, so the fact that they were here meant they had to swallow a bit of pride.

However, as they moved from the bed to the windowsill, Sara stood. "I...can't promise you that I'll get it on my first try. I'll stumble and we will have many losses as I try to find my way. But...I'm not against working with you, Rasteva. If I truly didn't, I wouldn't have left my window open in the small hope that you would come back." Making her way over towards them, she gently shut the window, re-affirming her decision. "I'm already...registered to you." Pulling back the curtains, she tied them shut, and moved to hold her finger out for them to hop onto, but retracted it. Maybe that wasn't the best option...

"You aren't alone in your feelings, Rasteva. I am also weak and lost. Not in the same sense as your own, but lost all the same." Moving back to the bed, she kicked her shoes off and sighed. "The weekend starts tomorrow. I don't know how you're going to feel in the morning, but we should look over the pamphlets. Or, we could try looking over them this evening. I didn't know if you wanted to have the rest to clear your head." Her eyes moved to the desk, then back to their form on the desk. The young woman clapped her hands, suddenly remembering something. "Rasteva! Are you alright? From earlier? I didn't get to ask Jenna what happened, but...well, are you?"

[Ramjammer]

Rasteva eyed Sara's outstretched finger before flapping onto her soldier. The woman's insistence that they stay was all but obvious, firmly backed up by her shutting the drapes. The Daemon felt relief wash over them as Sara reassured them that they were still welcome to stay with her. Her resolution to learn the ins and outs of combat were also met with relief. She was still as unsure as she'd ever been, but was willing to take a step in the right direction. And if Sara had resolved to give her best effort, then Rasteva would too. They knew that it would not be easy for either of them, but neither would the two of them be alone through it all.

The Daemon glanced down at the girl when she seated herself back on the bed, settling themselves more comfortably on her shoulder. Her suggestion held merit after all. They had in front of them all the information required to make their lives easier, and so it stood to reason that they would make use of it. Fluttering down to the bedspread, Rasteva eyed the pamphlets with interest. Each one was titled differently and seemed illustrate on different subjects. They picked the one titled "Daemon Battling" up with their beak and hopped towards Sara where it was immediately deposited into her lap. "This one here. It should have most of what we need to know. But it would not hurt to find other sources of information." The last thing the Daemon wanted to do was ask Kivash and Jenna, and they hoped that Sara was of the same mindset. After the day's most recent embarrassment they had no desire to face the smug Cat and their flashy Human.

Sara's question only brought the Daemon more grief, though they could tell it came from a place of caring. Ruffling their feathers in an attempt to shrug off the Human's question, Rasteva kept their voice even. "I am well enough all things considered. I am not hurt, and will live. That is all that matters." The Raven's eyes turned back to the pamphlet they had set in Sara's lap. "Come, let us read this and see what we might learn."

[knuxieh]

They were really going to waste no time on this fighting ordeal, were they? Well, she couldn't exactly blame them. If one subject they needed to hurry getting any kind of information in, it would be battles. She nodded, picking it up once they had released it and opened it. "I'm glad that you are well. Yes...I'm sure it can tell us much more than we could learn on our own." If nothing else positive had come out of their interaction with Jenna and Kivash, it was these information pamphlets. She had to wonder why the woman at the department store didn't give her any of these starter packets...But she had them now, and that's what she needed to focus on. It only took them about an hour or so to fully go over the information that was printed onto the paper, and she gently closed it to indicate she was finished looking through it.

"Well, as you say...battles are going to be our quickest way to getting you any closer to your original body. But, we'll have to start with small one on one battles. Even still with all the rules and regulations, we still aren't very in sync. I understand you'll be doing a good bit of the thinking on your own until you're able to take on a more stable form, but...I'm not saying to emulate Jenna and Kivash with their fanfare or anything, but perhaps we could..." She paused, trying to word it correctly. "Find a way to merge both of our interests?" She suggested.

"You, really like fighting. But I'm not really for it. I'm more...moral support? B-But I do like..making things." Sara let her voice trail off to drop a small hint at what she could do to help out. She herself enjoyed making outfits and clothes for the stuffed companions that were in her room. While she wasn't sure what Rasteva's opinion on what they might consider 'dress up', she was trying to find a sort of middle ground. They were quite vulnerable in their current state. Maybe if she could stitch or make something to help fend off at least physical damage to them, that could be her own way to help and contribute to the fight.

She had the skills to sew, and from her classes at school she knew how to weld and make props. She might actually be able to scale them down to benefit one of Rasteva's size. It would take a small amount of work to complete them, but with practice she would only get quicker.

[Ramjammer]

Sara was right. She and Rasteva would be working closely together for the foreseeable future and so it stood to reason that they needed to find a common ground. The woman's admission that she wasn't a fighter wasn't a surprise. It was clear as day after all. And though Rasteva was in essence the exact opposite, they could not hold it against her. For what reason would she be fighting in the first place? Before meeting them, Rasteva was sure that her life was a relatively peaceful one. The Raven grumbled, ruffling their feathers. They seemed to be spending too much time focusing on the past and what could have been when their focus should be on the future.

Glancing down at the pamphlets and then back up at Sara, the Daemon nodded. "You are correct, we must find a common ground if we are to be fighting side by side, though I am not sure how..." Sara's next statement did pique the Daemon's interest however. Rasteva was not overtly fond of clothing. Why would they be, Daemons did not even need clothes to begin with. But despite that they could not deny that she had some skill and they thought of the jacket she's made for her Teddy Bear. Even though it had fallen apart in the fountain, it was still finely made. The attention to detail was incredible and a sign that the girl had deft hands. "Hrmmm. That is true, I have seen some of the things you make. Perhaps you could make items for me to use in combat, and then I might infuse them with my own power? It is not much but it's a start." Rasteva recalled their original form, a towering suit of armor wielding an equally massive Glaive. They doubted that Sara had the means to produce such things now, but farther down the line......

But that would have to wait quite a while.

The Daemon continued to eye the pamphlets, some of the pages had large colorful photos of Daemon's fighting side by side with Humans. Some of them seemed to even look the same in appearance despite being completely different creatures. The Raven cocked their head, gears turning in their mind. Was this what Sara was suggesting? What Kivash and Jenna were doing? The Humans and Daemons in the photos seemed to be enjoying themselves a great deal and Rasteva wondered if they could find that much enjoyment with Sara. Flapping across the room, the Raven eyed the girl's laptop intently. "Sara, help me with this. I wish to see one of these battles for myself. Perhaps if we watch an ideal partnership between a Human and a Daemon we might learn even more."

[knuxieh]

Sara was more than happy to oblige. "Y-You would let me try? Did you...have anything in mind?" She questioned. She wasn't sure if she could actually give them any sort of actual weapon with their current form of a snake for battle. She could try sewing some leather for now to aid in their protection, if only slightly. It would mean she would have to get a fit of their measurements, but that could wait. For now, anyway. Watching as Rasteva's interest appeared to peak as they tilted their head at the sight of the coordinated Human-Daemon duos featured. When Rasteva asked for her assistance, the young woman stood and eyed the raven curiously.

"You want to see one?" She sat down at her desk, powering on the laptop and with a few quick searches, they arrived on the official website. The flashy text read out that their latest live match would be featured tomorrow at around noon. Luckily for them, they already had some battles on their page for them to view. As she hit the play button, it took a moment to fully render before beginning.

A young man, looking to be around eighteen, lazily made his way onto the arena, a guitar in hand. The camera shifted towards his opponent, another young man looking a little older than himself, who held himself with quite a dignified grace, and carried no object. The announcer introduced the humans, along with the submitted names of their registered Daemons. After a small reminder of the rules, and a mention of a time-limit of thirty minutes, a small bell was rung a few times, signaling the start of the match. It appeared the young man would go first, and he turned, plugging in his guitar into an amp that was provided nearby. Putting a set of headphones over his ears, the young man played a rather upbeat tune, causing his guitar to glow a bright blue color, summoning his Daemon onto the floor, who seemed to be dressed in a similar fashion to the human they accompanied. If nothing else, they wore headphones around their neck as they shifted into a slightly humanoid figure. Easily sliding into another melody that echoed through the stage, his Daemon took the vibrations from the guitar, seeming to be getting pumped up. That seemed to be the end of their turn, because the older man had stepped forward.

"Steady On." He simply said, a red light gently emerging from one of the many rings that sat on his fingers. It formed into doe of all things, with a necklace made of ornate materials around its neck. "Dance." The doe's ears twitched slightly, prancing about around its enemy. The hard rock music did almost little to interfere with their rhythm, matching it and at once was circling their opponent in a dizzying tornado, sending them back towards their human.

Grinning, the young man simply stepped aside, and changed keys, opting for something a bit slower but more robust. This time it seemed their Daemon was ready to go, save for the fact they had been knocked back and had to take a moment to gather their bearings. At once they rushed forward, not missing a beat as they elbowed the doe, sending it fumbling back.

Their fight seemed to go on with exchanges, it giving information about the relationship between the two. Obviously the younger man and his Daemon were communicating through music, but...it was harder for Sara to tell just by watching what was the common ground between the older man and his own? The video didn't show the outcome of the match, but did show the two sides afterwards, looking pretty satisfied either way. Was the site trying not to give results here on the website to promote to have fun, regardless of who wins or loses? It wasn't a bad message, after all..

Once it was over, Sara looked to Rasteva. They were the one who wanted to see one of these battles, and she was more than certain they would have something to say about what they just watched.

[Ramjammer]

The battle displayed on the screen was quite different from any that Rasteva had experienced. Battles between Daemons were violent and incredibly destructive. There were no rules to be found, they simply fought until one grew too weak to continue and fled, or until one was completely destroyed. The Raven cocked their head, not quite understanding how such a partnership came to be. True there was much benefit to be had for a weak Daemon looking to grow stronger. But what of those already powerful in their own right? Was there more beyond this? Rasteva recalled their conversation on the roof and frowned internally, that was a thought they would have to pursue at another time.

The combatants on the screen seemed to be well in sync with their respective partners, something that both Sara and Jenna had mentioned. They had found a common ground to stand on, and they were both quite obvious. Rasteva pointed a wing at the man with the Guitar. "See here. This one is obvious. Every culture has its own form of music, and during war times it was not uncommon to play something in order increase the soldier's morale. That is what this Human is doing here. You see? The Daemon takes the sound vibrations into their form and that in turn amplifies their power. I'd also imagine that they find their Human's music pleasing to the ear."

The Raven turned to the other man and the prancing Doe, cocking their head in thought as they watched the display. "This one is not quite as obvious, but it is clear all the same. See how this one carries himself with such grace and confidence? He is sure of his own steps and his body's movements. The same can be said for the Daemon that fights for them." Rasteva bobbed their head at the prancing Doe on the screen. "The Doe is a creature of grace and often represents serenity. These two uphold their grace and poise in combat, and keep their heads level. As such they are not prone to startle." The matches were interesting as well as informative to the Daemon. The combatants on the screen had a very good understanding of their partners, and it made them to be quite effective. The Raven ruffled their feathers thoughtfully. While they and Sara had come to an agreement of sorts, both of them still had a ways to go before they could hope to match either of the teams on the screen. The commonality they shared was there, but it was slim at best.

Rasteva suddenly recalled something that Jenna had mentioned earlier that day. According to the pink haired woman, she and Kivash had not reached a true understanding until they spoke with one another. It was through learning about the other that they had come to be in sync. The Raven looked over at Sara and then back at the screen. Up until now they had simply been observing the Human and only recently they had barely begun to interact with her at all. She seemed eager to learn and listened well. It would do them both good to sit down and learn about each other as equals. The Raven looked out the window, the night was moving on however. Perhaps it would be best to let Sara sleep, she'd had a long day and their conversation could wait. Looking back up at the girl, the Raven warbled softly. "Sara, as interesting as this all is, might you be growing tired? I know that we have much to discuss, but that could wait until morning. I will not be going anywhere."

---

Heels clicked a rapid beat across the tiled floor and echoed loudly through the hallway. A tall woman strode down the hallway with purpose and vigor, eyes staring straight ahead. Her serene demeanor never once changed, not as approached a pair of armed guards standing in front of a large vault. Certainly not as she flashed her ID and not even as a low voice began to emanate from the sheathed blade at her side.
"Why do you toy with them so? They have made their intentions clear L'Écuyer, there is no need to waste our time further. Much less is there a need to keep them alive." The Woman's eyes flicked towards the sword as she strode to the back of the vault. The room was brightly illuminated and a pane of bulletproof glass lined the back wall. "I am not toying with them, Tasosael. You know well and good that everything that I do has purpose."



The woman stopped in front of the pane of glass, eyes focused on the object within. A black orb floated above a small pillar, seeming both liquid and solid as its surface stayed in constant motion. The woman smiled softly, a serene expression on her face. "Look at it Tasosael. The power to level cities, shape worlds and devour stars." The sword at the woman's side rattled and a long shadow burst from it to level itself with the glass. A deep voice emenated from the cloud, sounding less than amused. "Yes, all of that power and it's just sitting here unsued. You are aware of how worthless this is in its current state? If you're not going to give it to me, at least sell it to someone that will make use of it." The woman clucked her tongue at the irate Daemon, her voice patronizing. "For all your ambitions and focus on the picture at large, you have forgotten the small details my Dear." Tasosael let out a low growl, growing even more irritable with the Human. "And for all your ambitions, you seem to have grown complacent L'Écuyer." The woman frowned slightly at the smoke cloud. "Who among us here deals with negotiations on a day to day basis? If you had an ounce of sense you'd know that bringing a potential competitor to your side means offering them something they might want in return." A gloved hand pressed gently to the glass, the woman looking through it at the orb. "They know that we have it, and they want it returned more than anything in the world. We will wait Tasosael. And they will come, of this I'm sure." Tasosael let out a low grunt, retreating back into the woman's sword. "You had best be right L'Écuyer. You know full well how impatient I can become." The woman smiled softly, eyes flickering back towards the object behind the glass. "Now, what did I just tell you? Everything that I do has a purpose."

[knuxieh]

Sara nodded, agreeing that the young man with the guitar was easy to figure since he was literally doing the thing they had in common. "I got that, but the other one...it doesn't seem like there's much to go off of, actually." Apparently Rateva could spot how they actually were on common ground, more than willing to give her the information as well. Once they had, she felt a little silly that she hadn't drawn the parallel before. "I see, I see..." Looking towards them, she nodded at their comment about sleep. She hadn't really been feeling how much the weight of the day had taken on her until it was mentioned, an immediate yawn escaping from her as she stretched. "Y-Yeah, I guess I should really get some shut eye." She smiled, shutting her laptop down and changing into her sleeping clothes and laying down to sleep for the evening.

---------- Skip to Morning -----------

Since it was the weekend, there was no early morning alarm to rouse Sara from her sleep. Granted with everything that happened yesterday, the young woman slept well into the afternoon. Finally stirring, she yawned, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes, checking the time. "Two o'clock? Why didn't you wake me up, Rasteva? I thought you would have wanted to get an early start." She asked, giving another yawn as her body slowly adjusted to being awake. "I...don't feel like making anything." Sara stood up and after showering, got changed into a pair of white-wash skinny jeans, dark knee-high boots and a simple lavender turtleneck with a cute character embroidered on the front. She grabbed a small notebook on her way out and motioned for Rasteva to follow her. Once they had settled on her shoulder which seemed to be their preferred place on her to sit at, she made her way out of the apartment and downstairs. She was on her way to the cafe, most of the fast food places would have stopped serving breakfast by now but she was sure she could still get a ham and cheese croissant, with a cup of juice before sitting. She figured Rasteva would remove themselves from her shoulder as she ate.

"So...you Daemons..Do you eat or anything? I mean, I know the infomercial paints you all as pretty much a no-responsibilities kind of thing, but still." Taking a bite out of the warm sandwich, she smiled, happy for the warmth it brought. "Oh, right...I don't know if it would be odd to do, but maybe after breakfast, we can head to my school? I don't exactly know what you've got in mind for protection, but at least I can get your measurements."

[Ramjammer]

Rasteva had spent the night and a good part of the day deep in meditation. They like the rest of their kind had no need for sleep, and so they would often assume a meditative stance to reflect upon the day and others things besides. Several times they had considered rousing Sara from her bed, but decided against it. She'd had a long day and deserved to rest and so the Daemon told her as such when she awoke. "I had only assumed you would be quite exhausted from the previous day, and I know how much Humans value their rest. I am in no hurry right now, take as much time as you need."

They busied themselves with watching the television while she prepared for the day. The Daemon enjoyed TV a great deal, and resolved to project a form with thumbs as soon as they were able so that they could press the buttons on the remote more easily. The current news was playing across the screen, and the Raven cocked their head. Humans really did enjoy being in the know, and certainly took great pains to ensure a constant stream of information. It was all really fascinating to the Daemon and they wondered how Humans had come to be this way. Sara's voice roused them from their musings and they immediately perched themselves on her shoulder. She seemed to be heading to the small cafe from the day before, and the Daemon wondered if it was her favorite place. It certainly appeared that way, as Sara seemed to be quite happy here and so the Daemon surmised that was all that really mattered.

Rasteva was amusing themselves by trying to balance a straw they'd nicked from the counter on their beak when Sara spoke up. The straw fell to the table and the Raven stared at the girl with beady eyes. "No we do not require food, though I know some Daemons eat because they've come to enjoy the taste of food. But as we don't need it, I do not partake. It seems like a waste of resources to me." The Raven picked up the straw in their claws and resumed trying to set it on their beak as they continued to speak. "Daemons do not eat, and we do not sleep either. Our bodies may look and feel organic but they are not so in any sense. I could go on and on about our physiology but I do not intend to bore you. We've lost enough time out of the day as it is." Her next suggestion was met with another stare, though the Raven did agree with her this time around. "Of course, there we can begin to make plans for our future partnership. And I must say I am a bit eager to see it. It has been some time since I last visited a place of higher learning." Rasteva briefly wondered if Sara would take them to the library afterwards and resolved to ask later once their official businesss had been taken care of.

[knuxieh]

"Awe, what? Waste of resources?!" Sara gasped, staring at them in disbelief. "How can you say such things, Rasteva? Food is so good! Here, you should try some!" She suggested, as she finished up her meal, saving a small bit of her sandwich and holding it up to their beak. "Try it, try it! It's actually really awesome! And this is only one type of food. I really think you would enjoy it. Different cultures have different ways of making the same dish, so depending on where you are, the dish you think you'll be getting is crafted a totally different way with a whole new set of ingredients and preparations methods!" She chimed, doing her best to convince them to try the small bit of breakfast she had. It was nothing in the way of other, more luxurious dishes, but it was a start. Discarding her juice, she picked up the straw, resolving to give it back to Rasteva once she had gotten to the school so they could keep busy once she took their measurements.

Arriving at the school, she was greeted by some students, but mostly faculty. The door she was headed to was open, and she grinned, waving towards the older woman in the room who regarded the woman with a smile.

"I see you've brought your friend back, but in a different shape this time~" She chimed.

Sara simply smiled. "Yes, I'm looking to fit them with something to protect them. Do you know if we have any durable leathers?"

The older woman chuckled. "Of course, of course. They'll need protection with all these fights going on. I think it's wonderful you are working together. I do wish more people put thought into shielding their Daemons so early on." Reaching up and grabbing a roll of semi-thick leather, she put it on a roll so Sara could get how much she would need. "You're more than welcome to use this room for your preparations, along with the rooms across the hall. You practically live here and you've been oh so kind. If you need, let me know and I can see about getting you a key." The older woman grinned. She was obviously aware of Rasteva's presence, but didn't seem to have a Daemon of her own floating about.

"Thank you, Ms. Dianne." Sara gently tucked her fingers under their feet, and placed them down onto the table. "I'm not sure if would do much good to have anything made for you on your vessel, do you?" She asked, curious. "You don't have to worry about how many outfits I'll be making. Am I making something for a snake this time around?" She questioned, pulling out the notebook she had grabbed, leaning down to scribble small notes in a slim cursive.

'Rasteva Forms - Measurements'

Raven Vessel - xx, xx, xx
Snake Form - xx, xx, xx

Once she had them, she approached Rasteva with a sample of the semi-thick leather. "I picked this since I didn't want to weigh you down but still have you able to move. I can easily sew in some stretch material to suit the snake's movements better. Of course, there is no better way to learn than trial and error." She laughed. "Is the fabric alright? I can layer it to reinforce the material, or...put a semi-sturdy lining into it so it doesn't cause you too much abrasion.."