Ramjammer

Friends in the Void.

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."

Friends in the Void.

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?"

Friends in the Void.

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.

Friends in the Void.

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."

Friends in the Void.

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?"

Friends in the Void.

Sara seemed to be on edge, though she could not be blamed for it. The day had been stressful and it was a wonder she had managed to keep her composure through it all. Rasteva shifted on the woman's shoulders and ruffled their feathers, beady eyes staring at the Human. "I am sorry for startling you, that was not my intention at all." The body they had chosen was unfamiliar to the Daemon, but they had grown used to it rather quickly. It was a good form, and Rasteva knew that they could use it to go far. They continued to regard Sara for a moment, searching for something to say. "I know that you must be worried. Especially after all that happened today. If you need to stop for a moment and rest then do so. I dare say that you deserve it."

Rasteva mulled over Sara's question, not sure how to answer. "To regain my body I require strength. But attaining it will be most difficult in present circumstances. For a Daemon, power comes with time and experience. We live for a long time and in it we gain much power." The Daemon ruffled their feathers, letting out a small grumble. "I have existed for millennia.....We do not have THAT much time. Especially when we may very well have made an enemy." Rasteva was not overly eager to run into Ethan and Betulri again, but they knew it was only a matter of time. The only hoped that both they and Sara were ready for it.

Grumpy Spirits and you.

Oh hey I got a couple of bites!

Granted I've already started the storyline with someone else. But I wouldn't mind doing it with a couple of other people. I think if I manage everything right I can make it into a group RP.

@CloseEnough
@Redcovey

Friends in the Void.

The Woman on the screen was immediately recognizable to Rasteva, and the Daemon fought back a surge of rage. The person laid out before them was the reason they had been stripped of their power and the reason Rasteva so desperately wanted it back.

But of course she just had to be one of the most powerful people on the planet.

The only thing that came close to angering them as much as the sight of Lorette was hearing her refer to Daemons as Pets. Her audacity and arrogance seemed to know no bounds, and for a brief moment Rasteva was glad that they had no physical form as they'd have surely destroyed Sara's television and perhaps the apartment in a fit of rage. As they struggled to rein their temper in, Rasteva was vaguely aware of Sara talking to them, and zeroed in on the Human. Her suggestion to have Rasteva registered as HER pet nearly earned her a string of insults but the Daemon knew that what she said held weight. As they were, Rasteva was not going to get anywhere on their own, and they HAD asked for her help. Settling their temper into a more manageable state the Daemon ground out a rough word of thanks before receding into the girl's offered ring.

The Daemon remained silent as they traveled to the nearest outpost. The ring was a bit better than the stuffed bear, though it didn't allow Rasteva to see as much of the world around them from where they were. Sara had mentioned that the place they were visiting might have something more suitable for the Daemon to inhabit once they arrived, but they doubted it. The only thing they wanted was their old body. A body that they had willed into being long ago. Until then, nothing would ever come close. Rasteva tried to calm themselves again, realizing that they were being ungrateful. Sara was going out of her way to help them, and moping wouldn't do either of them any good.

A babbling woman greeted the two of them at the door of the Outpost, and once more Rasteva felt their mood darken. Her bubbly demeanor and high pitched voice grated on the Daemon's nerve. But that paled in comparison to how she went about manhandling them. "Watch your hands, you lumbering oaf! I, Rasteva shall be treated with the proper respect as befitting a Daemon of my stature!" The irritating woman only giggled at the Daemon's exclamations and Rasteva found themselves wishing they had a set of hands to strangle her with. Sara was busy handling a variety of forms, and looked to be slightly overwhelmed by it all. Rasteva hoped all the effort would be worth it in the end of things.

Once all was said and done, the bubbly woman led them both to a room and explained that they would be choosing an object to house Rasteva in until they required a physical form. The variety of statuettes, jewlery and other items did not interest the Daemon much and they spent a better part of their time there drifting around listlessly. The room also contained a number of stuffed animals, and the Daemon avoided those like the plague. A screen with the Apex logo rotating on it was situated in the corner. And occasionally a variety of Daemons and objects would flash across it. Rasteva felt another surge of disgust at the sight. Had their kind really fallen so far as to willingly allow Humans to rule over them? They were bought and sold like the objects that housed their souls, and none of them seemed to care at all. Rasteva's gaze drifted back down to Sara as she wandered about the room. Every so often she would pick up an object that caught her fancy before setting it back down. It was clear that she held her own opinions on what type of item she'd want to carry around but she left the decision solely to Rasteva knowing that they'd be most comfortable in a vessel of their own choosing.

She really was too kind.

The cloud of smoke drifted back down towards the floor and resumed its patrol around the room. They would be with Sara for a long time to come, so they knew they'd have to make a choice. A series of statuettes caught the Daemon's interest and they drifted towards them. They were different from the plush animals, each one to proper scale and crafted with incredible detail. As they passed over the figures Rasteva halted by one resembling a Raven. The bird was covered head to toe with feathers and did not look all that different from a typical Raven. Mulling over their thoughts for a moment, the Daemon settled over the raven figure before possessing it fully. The Raven's eyes blinked rapidly for a moment as they adjusted to the bright lights in the room. Rasteva stretched their wings and leapt from the table before flapping around the room several times. Once they had grown used to their new body, Rasteva fluttered towards Sara and alighted on her shoulder, beady eyes regarding her critically. "I am finished here. Let's be off."

Friends in the Void.

Rasteva made a noise of surprise, their smoke form flattening to mirror the emotion before recollecting itself quickly. Sara agreed to help them, which was good. But she seemed rather despondent about doing so. The girl's forced laugh did not escape the Daemon while she hurriedly attempted to reassure them. Their gaze shifted towards the soaked Teddy Bear laying forgotten on the counter and the Daemon felt another surge of guilt. The stuffed animal was Sara's only companion and in short order Rasteva had attempted to kidnap it, gotten it stolen and nearly destroyed. Even after all of this she APOLOGIZED to the Daemon, taking a measure of responsibility for a problem that she hadn't even caused to begin with.

And yet despite this she was still agreeing to assist them.

Needless to say Rasteva was at a loss for words. At best they had expected Sara to tell them to leave. At the absolute worst they had gone into it expecting a great deal of screaming one her part. The Cloud began to float lazily near the ceiling, deep in thought. Her agreement to assist could not go without payment. It would be poor form to take so much from a person without repayment, and so the Daemon resolved to gift her with something in return once they had regained a proper form.

But that could not happen until they got one in the first place.

Drifting back down to eye level, Rasteva posed a query to the Human. "You have heard of Daemons before? You say that what transpired was normal here?" It was beginning to make sense all of a sudden. The casual nature of Ethan's and Betulri's interactions. Sara's almost complete lack of surprise when first confronted by Rasteva. Her.....It became quite clear to Rasteva and they didn't like it in the slightest. The Daemon tore themselves from their musings to speak to Sara. "You claimed that this has been happening for some time. That someone else was causing this? Show me, I must see this for myself first hand."

Friends in the Void.

Rasteva grumbled loudly as the girl attempted to dry them off and swatted at her hands with their tiny paws. She had been wise to run from Ethan and Betulri. Though the two of them didn't seem to be particularly intelligent, they proved to be a legitimate threat. As they were now Rasteva had little chance of taking them both on and so retreat was the best option. The girl's series of questions pulled Rasteva out of their reverie and they stared up at her. She said her name was Sara. As was to be expected she was visibly scared, and she seemed to be a bit sad though Rasteva had no idea why.

Grumbling again, the Daemon stared up at the girl and addressed her directly for the first time. "Yes, yes these are all valid questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability. I suppose I'd best start by discarding this body." The Bear suddenly flopped over, a plume of black smoke erupting from the small toy and coiling in on itself. The Cloud expanded and floated lazily over the counter before a deep voice boomed from within. "I am not what you think me to be. Your little companion cannot speak. It never could." The Stuffed Bear simply laid on the counter, not making a sound. "Last evening I possessed it in hopes of using it as a temporary form. My original body was destroyed and I lack the strength to create a new one."

Rasteva's form collapsed in on itself before expanding once more, the cloud of smoke beginning to circle slowly around Sara's head. "It was my intention to escape this place and strike out, I require answers and moreover I require strength." The Daemon paused, the unwelcome feeling of guilt striking them again. "I apologize for misleading you. It was never my intent to bring you any harm." The smoke cloud drifted down to eye level with Sara, searching her expression for any reaction. "As for the other Human.....I cannot say what his intentions are. But he has made a pact with another Daemon much like myself and it does not bode well. If it is in any way related to what befell me the other day, then you may very well be in danger."

It had never been Rasteva's intent to bring Sara any harm, or even get her involved at all. But she was as involved as she could possibly be and if one of her classmates had a Daemon at their beck and call there could very well be more of them doing the same. And this wasn't even touching on what might happen if Ethan and Betulri got ahold of her. The Daemon was positive that either of them would allow her to get away after they'd revealed themselves in front of her. The problems at hand were beginning to pile up rather quickly, and it was making the Daemon's head spin.

For what had to be the thousandth time that day, Rasteva grumbled before they addressed Sara once more. "Sara, I've no right to ask this of you, but I will need your help. That boy.....Ethan had a Daemon. They know something that we do not. Moreover they are a threat to our safety and the potential safety of others. We must confront them both, it is the only way to resolve this." What the Daemon was asking the girl was risky. She didn't seem to possess much in the way of fortitude or bravery. And Rasteva could tell that she'd never been in a fight. In truth all of this hinged on how much she was willing to humor them and after the events that had just transpired she was well within her rights to deny the Daemon's request.

But in truth it was not as if she had much of a choice anyhow.