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originally posted in:The New Dojo
5/28/2017 2:53:55 AM
1
[i]Vance pulled his gaze away from the unconscious boy to look at Victoria's face. His body seemed to freeze in place for a moment, eyes unable to move; but he soon broke out of this trance, a barely noticeable blush on his cheeks. He looked back at the boy, running a hand through his sweat-drenched, shaggy black hair. He was indeed very familiar with the sorrow in Victoria's eyes; he saw it in the Contractees he once lived with. Saw it in the ones he killer. Saw it in himself, every time he looked at his own reflection.
He sighed, pondering Victoria's questions.[/i] "... I'm not exactly sure, if I'm to be honest," [i]He admitted, showing no shame.[/i] "It looked safe, and places that look safe generally are safe; until the roof opens and five Contractees drop on your head and try to rаpe you while your weapons are in a different room. Different story altogether."
[i]He shook his head, before inwardly agreeing to Victoria's earlier statement about getting the boy to safety. He picked the boy up once more, looking around the dojo for a place to lay him down until he awoke. Then, there was the question of... what he would do when he awoke.[/i]
English
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"Dear me, that's...terrible. I...suppose that we should make proper introductions to each other?" [i]Victoria nervously smiled, shrugging a little. The stern tone that was once within her voice was gone, replaced by a soft, guarding tone. Something that suggested that she would guard the boy and Vance from any more harm - especially after hearing about...well, what Vance said.[/i] [i]There were a few wooden and metal benches against the walls of the Dojo, carved and crafted delicately. Some were in courtyards of their own, suggesting that the Contractees couldn't leap down from above the walls.[/i] "As for introductions - I am Palatine Victoria, Sister of Battle of the Order of Our Martyred Lady, of the Imperium of Mankind. A foreign fighting force dedicated to the survival of humanity in my realm. Of course, I've...likely been replaced and forgotten at this rate."
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"My name's... just Vance. Nothing special about me." [i]He shrugged while picking the boy up, moving him to lay him down on a bench. He'd likely wake up soon, but Vance and Victoria would also likely have a few minutes to converse. He looked back at Victoria, sighing as he sat himself on the ground.[/i] "I also haven't a clue as to what you just said, but why would you be replaced and forgotten?" [i]He was definitely not expecting the answer he was probably about to receive. His own tone was still rather soft, quiet; curious, and a little admiring, too. As Vance spoke to Victoria, he glanced at the sleeping boy periodically, making sure to not be surprise attacked by the boy. He had a plan as to what he would do when the boy woke up; a plan that Victoria would probably not like, but one he would follow through with anyways.[/i]
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"I do not originate from this reality, and my entire unit is... To put it lightly, dead or turned into sex toys for beings beyond our comprehension. Daemons: terrible creatures that serve dark gods of evil proportions. And yet, I... ...I still question how I escaped and lived. The Imperium likely believes that I am among the dead, and thus I have been replaced. There is no possibility that I could return, really.." [i]Victoria sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as she recalled the brutality of her soldier's deaths, their screams - everything. She refused to break down in front of Vance: that was a sign of weakness that she couldn't show, even to him.[/i] "Vance is a likable name, I suppose. May I ask...how do you possess the abilities of a pysker? ...Apologies, just a term that the Imperium associates mages with. Where did you learn to possess such abilities?"
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"... I didn't learn them." [i]Vance said flatly as he looked away. He sighed; if Victoria was going to go and reveal her backstory, he might as well explain the reason behind their slaughter of the Contractees.[/i] "In truth... I'm one of the people we were just recently killing," [i]He responded, forcing his voice to be as emotionless as possible.[/i] "Contractees. We all have the same kind of backstory; we've all suffered losses, and felt pure hatred and self loathe. As children, mind you. And... at our weakest times, these... beings. Contractors. They materialize before us, promising us power beyond human comprehension. Power to finally get what we want; finally get revenge." [i]Now, Vance's tone turned bitter, despite his efforts to stay emotionless. It seemed as though he was still unwilling to reveal his own, specific reason for forming the Contract.[/i] "And after the Contract is formed, its magic begins to mutate us. Giving us new both physical and magical capabilities. And the scientists...." [i]He said the word 'scientists' with unmistakeable hatred.[/i] "They're able to detect this chance, able to detect the sudden, massive levels of magic in a human body that indicates the formation of a Contractee. And the scientists set out to kidnap this Contractee before their mutations can take place. Then, they force us into the lab, where they run constant experiments on us. Some of us are turned into mutant monsters. Some of us are killed. Some of us are rаped. Sometimes, all three happen to one person. Either way, as this happens... we still manage to form relationships, because we are still human beings... in a way, I guess." [i]Now, he stops, looking away from Victoria.[/i]
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[i]Victoria remained silent for all of Vance's story, as the entire situation made sense to her: the madness in their eyes, yet the love for each other - the Contractees only had each other: their friends, lovers, and family. She shook her head, sighing as she crossed her arms.[/i] "I'm sorry for asking. Forgive me, if I...brought back any memories. ...What about the boy? Can he recover from this? Can we...help him? I-I can't, I shot his mother dead.."
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[i]Vance turned his face towards the boy, who had begun to stir. He didn't reply to Victoria as the boy opened his eyes; they were an aqua color, filled with the same emotions all Contractees eyes were filled with. A great amount of sorrow, sadness, anger, hatred, tolerance. Upon closer inspection, his hair, which looked brown from a distance due to the amount of dirt and mud the covered it, was actually a pale blond color. As he turned his face towards the Vance and Victoria, his eyes looked confused, as though he was searching for something. After, after a while, he spoke.[/i] "... where's my mom...?" [i]He asked slowly; his voice was soft, quieter even than Vance's. He turned his face to stare at Victoria; it was almost as though he couldn't actually see her face, just... her.[/i] "Are you my mom?" [i]Vance was silent for a moment, looking at Victoria from the corner of his eyes.[/i]
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[i]Victoria remained quiet for a moment, before making her decision.[/i] "...Yes, my child. I-I'm your mother." [i]She closed her eyes after a moment, nodding slowly as she held her armored hands together. Vance could probably recognize the emotion put behind her words, as if the phrase that she had spoken truly meant a lot to her. The Sister of Battle remained silent, awaiting the response from the Contractee child.[/i]
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[i]Vance remained silent, looking over at Victoria before examining the boy a little closer. There was a name tag on his dirty, torn clothes; even covered by mud, it read 'Subject 56: Ike'. Tears slowly rolled down the boy's cheeks as he sat up, staring at Victoria; once again, even though the Sister of Battle probably looked completely different from his actual mother, the boy couldn't seem to be able to tell a difference.[/i] "M-mom... I th-thought you d-died in the invasion...." [i]He let out a sob, before staggering up and hugging Victoria tightly. Meanwhile... Vance didn't really know what to do. And so, he simply stood back and watched passively as the events unfolded.[/i]
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[i]Victoria remained silent as the child - Ike - suddenly engulfed her in the hug, as she merely returned the favor by encasing him in a tight grasp, allowing him to cry into her armored shoulder. A flurry of emotion ran through her mind, as she planted a kiss upon the boy's dirty forehead and placed her hands upon his waist, holding him up to face her.[/i] "...Everything is going to be okay, Ike. I...I promise. Okay, sweetheart? Everything is going to..to be okay." [i]The emotion within Victoria's voice was distinguishable as she then returned to hugging the child, her light blue eyes looking at Vance as she smiled sadly. If the boy didn't recognize her, well...she could always be the parent that he needed, couldn't she?[/i]
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[i]The boy nodded without speaking, loudly sobbing into Victoria's shoulder. After a while of this, he fell asleep again; it seemed as though the boy required a lot of rest, which probably related to his being as a Contractee. Vance gently pried the boy of his newfound mother, laying him down on the bench. Now, he was finally in a situation that was entirely new to him. He looked over at Victoria, before speaking.[/i] "... what're you planning?" [i]He asked, unsure of why anybody would willingly adopt a Contractee.[/i]
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"...Planning?" [i]At once, Victoria's fists clenched tightly, her eyes closing as her mood took a sudden swing. Her tone only revealed a sudden irritation, not a hatred: although she clearly disliked Vance's response.[/i] "What do you think that I'm going to do with him? Turn him into a machine of war, so he can be senselessly slaughtered in the heat of battle? Send him off to the Imperium so that they can pry his remains apart for research? ...I can't just stand idly by while someone like him, who has lost what matters most to him, is in need. I am planning nothing, except to provide the care that he needs. Perhaps additional training in combat, but that will be it. ...I hope that clarifies everything."
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"I–no, of course," [i]Vance replied, backing off. He had a feeling that he'd finally reached his limit, that he'd spoken too much. And so, he lapsed into a period of silence, deciding that it would be unwise to speak anymore. During this silence, he thought to himself; he understood Victoria's words, but wasn't used to people doing anything for Contractees out of kindness. Nobody had ever done anything for the Contractees at the lab. Nobody had ever done anything for himself. And nobody had ever done anything for the Contractees he'd met afterwards... and so he took a peculiar interest in Victoria, for she was the only one to have befriended two Contractees.[/i]
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[i]After what was perhaps a minute of utter silence, Victoria broke the quietness with yet another sigh, opening her blue eyes as she looked upon Vance sadly. She smiled a little, speaking up with a quieter voice so that she did not disturb Ike.[/i] "...I'm sorry, I...just take things too seriously at times. I can't exactly explain why I want to help, it's just...there. Every day in the Imperium and on the battlefield...I just slaughtered. From the wildest of maniacs to the most innocent of civilians, I kept slaughtering. I shot down those that screamed for my blood to be spilt. I shot down those who begged for my mercy. ...I'm.. I'm a monster. I'm no better than the Contractees that attacked us. Yet, I...I want to help people. I want to do something that might make an actual difference, that might benefit something other than a senseless cause that the Imperium supports. I wanted to help Ike, I.. I wanted to help you. I don't mind if you're a Contractee, but you're the closest that I have to an actual ally - no, not an ally, a friend. ...I hope that you understand." [i]Victoria clasped her armored hands together, looking down at her palms and allowing the silence to continue. Perhaps it was best that way, she thought - Vance was the type that she could respect, and thus she would respect his quietness.[/i]
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[i]For a moment, Vance did indeed continue the silence, but eventually did speak. With a sigh, he stared off into empty space.[/i] "... you're no monster, Victoria. You're only a monster if you refuse to realize your past actions, and your current actions. Once you've realized their consequences... then you're no longer a monster. You're a human, who makes mistakes and lives to learn from them." [i]In a way, Vance was really telling this to himself as well as Victoria; that he was no monster, either. He slowly sat down on the ground in front of the bench to rest, laying his arms across the expanse of the bench's seat. He smiled lightly at Victoria's words; they truly were unique.[/i] "If you really wish to help me... I might as well tell you my goal; it's an ambitious one. I wish to bring down the scientists that would imprison us Contractees, as well as their supporters and their higher-ups–I wish to end the painful torture they put children like I once was through. And then, I wish to learn more about the Contractors; why they only appear before children in such specific circumstances, and their existence as supernatural beings. I admit that I don't know much about the scientists; I don't know who they take orders from, I don't know why they study Contractees.... This is why I'll need a great amount of help, sadly. And there's not many people willing to help...." [i]He broke off with a heavy sigh; never had he talked so much to a single person before.[/i]
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Edited by Orn: 5/29/2017 12:14:58 AM[i]After a moment of silence from listening to Vance's explanation, Victoria arose from her sitting position with renewed vigor, a smile across her lightly tanned face as she spoke up with a renewed voice.[/i] "...I shall help you, Vance. In whatever way that I can - I shall assist you, through combat and to our victory. I would be proud to, anyhow." [i]The Palatine placed her clenched fist over her heart, covered by a sheet of ceramite armor as if she was delivering an oath.[/i] "This I swear, my dear friend - we should likely keep moving, find a temporary residence for Ike to live... And I suppose, you and I could live together then?"
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[i]Vance smiled lightly at Victoria's first statement, pledging her aid; he thought that it was truly great, to finally have one who could help him through troubled times. And so, a kind of warm, fuzzy feeling rose up inside of him as he smiled gratefully at Victoria. To her final statement, he blushed, now looking away. He paused before speaking, assuring that his voice would come out normally.[/i] "... sure, if you'd like to," [i]He replied somewhat calmly; in his mind he was already thinking of the real estate in Dojoville. Just that kind of guy. Meanwhile, he turned his head to the Dojo gates; it looked as though the Contractees had finally left, and if one looked closely they could see that the streets of Dojoville were now completely empty of Contractees.[/i]
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[i]Victoria, who was initially confused by Vance's blush, decided to not comment as she stepped over to Ike and lifted him up. While it took some effort, she held up the Contractee teenager and looked over at Vance. [/i] "I suppose that you don't have a home, and...well, I would hate to force a citizen out of their home. That's even assuming that the Imperium holds some power here.." [i]Victoria sighed: she had no home, as this was literally her first day upon the planet of Tatakai. She knew nothing about the Dojo, nothing about real estate - nothing that an average citizen would know.[/i]
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"I don't have a home either," [i]Vance admitted with a sigh.[/i] "But I believe I have enough money from doing various jobs every know in order to pay 1/4th downpayment for a cheap condominium, the rest of the money I pay off as mortgage with a loan from the bank...." [i]He didn't seem to really like that idea.[/i] "Or we could just rent an apartment." [i]He shrugged, and stood up as well.[/i]
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"I suppose that we could. Except, erm...pardon me, but I am not accustomed to civilian life. What... What is an apartment, exactly?" [i]Victoria went a little pale, looking down nervously as if she expected Vance to be angry at her oblivious nature. Which she didn't, considering his quietness.[/i]
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"An apartment?" [i]Vance smiled at Victoria, laughing a little; not in a mocking manner whatsoever. It felt.. good, to actually laugh–obviously wasn't something Vance did often.[/i] "It's a building with many floors and rooms, each room serving as a living space for a different family or group of people. They're generally owned by a single corporation and rented out to buyers... basically we pay monthly to stay in a small, crowded room with loud neighbors."
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"Sounds like military barracks, except we don't have to pay money for those.." [i]Victoria oddly found a connection between the two, although she shrugged and realized what an apartment was: a temporary home, really. She liked the sound of it, except for the loud neighbors bit. Victoria hated loud people. [/i] "So...should be begin searching for an apartment?"
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Edited by Diase: 5/29/2017 5:51:37 PM"Guess we should," [i]Vance agreed, beginning to walk towards the dojo gates once more. As he opened the gates with his right hand, his left pulled out a cell phone, and well... he opened an app to check his balance in the bank. He nodded satisfactorily at the amount he saw, then put his phone away as he looked back at Victoria.[/i] "After you," [i]He said, gesturing through the opened gate; outside it was clear that the Contractees were gone, although they definitely left behind evidence of their being at the dojo's gates; trampled everything, roadkill, leftover belongings, et cetera.[/i]
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"...This is just brutal. It's unorganized, crude, yet effective.." [i]Victoria stared upon the remnants of the Contractees, before realizing what she had just said.[/i] "...No offense to you, of course." [i]She looked over at Vance, smiling a little.[/i] "You're actually quite elegant in combat, really. Me, I just...aim and improvise." [i]Victoria then began to move, walking down the mountainous pathway of the Dojo. She was still tense, as if expecting the Contractees to appear at any moment.[/i]
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"No offense taken... really, I feel rather awkward in combat," [i]Vance admitted. He spoke truthfully; even with his well-balanced physique and raw power, he still felt awkward–as though he hadn't quite found a style of combat that fit him. No Contractees appeared as they made their way down the rocky pathway–although, everything was eerily silent besides their footsteps and conversation. No birds, wildlife, and the usual hum of activity that came from Dojoville was all but gone. They eventually arrive in the now bloodstained streets of Dojoville. Doors were shut, shops and homes with their windows smashed in; it wasn't utter destruction, but would take a while to clean up. Luckily, they could still shop for apartments.[/i]
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[i]As Victoria held onto the still teenager within her arms, a slight look of disturbance crossed her face, memories of ancient battles entering her mind. She sighed, looking back at Vance.[/i] "...This honestly has begun to remind me of the Daemon forces of Chaos and the Orks once they finish raiding and slaughtering...on a smaller scale, of course. ...Let me apologize, for my behavior earlier. I was suspicious of you, even hateful - the Sisters of Battle are educated and taught to destroy what we consider "heresy" - things that we consider impure, evil, or wrong. Is it right? ...That depends on your views."
