trans_9 | Fading into the background

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Fading into the background

There were many things that Alessa could have imagined for herself in the Sensoriums, but for those particular touches, she preferred to make it herself. Instead, she decided to use a memory not from the wreck that would be her host, but her last remaining innocent counterpart, Sharon. This particular surrounding was before that girl's caretaker ventured into Silent Hill: it was, in fact, a scene that, for reasons that were her own, she was fascinated with. Not far from where the girl was, she spied Rose and Sharon under the trees, mother looking over the girl's scrawled illustrations. Alessa had imagined herself a swing set: simple, crude and all that she needed right now. She swung slowly, pumping her arms to bring herself higher, looking almost in a trance. She resembled Alessa now, as if she were somehow obligated to for the duration of this simulation.

Why did this scene speak to her so much? Perhaps it was knowing what was to come: that Rose would step willingly into Alessa's darkest nightmares to retrieve her daughter, and in that process help make her stronger once she conquered those fanatics in the church. There had been nowhere to run, and Alessa had finally reached the finale of her revenge. It was sad, she supposed, that even as she let Rose and Sharon go, they were trapped in a halfway dimension between Silent Hill and the real world. But of course, those were the consequences for walking into nightmares.

She pumped harder, almost wishing for the bliss of true flight. What a strange world this was.

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It was an odd thing to come across, her roommate swinging so...innocently. For a moment, she almost forgot what the 'little girl' was capable of.

Pirogoeth looked around the scene. "Surprisingly peaceful," she commented, heading over to Alessa.

Alessa looked at Pirogoeth, unsurprisingly calm.

"It is a comfort that Alessa never had," the girl said, her voice strangely quiet. "If she had, perhaps things would have been different for her. This is the memory of Alessa's counterpart, the last remaining innocence she had, Sharon."

She swung higher. "And so this memory is part of mne too."

Pirogoeth paused in her scanning, spotting the two figures by the tree. The little girl did look quite similar to Alessa. "So I see," Pirogoeth murmured, looking at Alessa.

"Thou enjoys these simple pleasures?" She asked curiously.

"Something like that," Alessa said. "But it struck me as a true moment where something of Alessa felt the pull of parental protection. That was what Sharon's mother, Rose, was to her. She would do whatever she needed to to protect her chld, even brazenly entering my world."

She shrugged. "I was struck by that, I suppose."

She looked up at her roommate. "Are you preparing for our next demonic encounter?

Pirogoeth pondered this a moment. "Thou art surprisingly sympathetic for a being that responds to anger." Really surprising. And very interesting too.

"The being in the city? Yes. I have met with one who was hunting the beast. Things that 'should not be' are things to always be wary of."

"I aided her in her hate. That almost meant that I saw what she did. I may be something likea demon, but that doesn't mean i don't understand when something is forcibly taken away from them. Even now, here, I had more freedom than Alessa ever did outside of Sharon."

Alessa smiled. "You too then. Well. So do you think you will be able to fight a god when he finally comes to call?"

"Thou art...a very interesting demon-like being," Pirogoeth said. Almost disarming. Almost. She wasn't quite sure what to make of Alessa yet, as she'd seen how long some people can act. "At least Sharon was able to have fun for her," she said, looking over at the mother and child.

Pirogoeth thought about this for several moments, seriously pondering it. "We already know the being can be restrained. Controlled. If this is so, then that means he is not all powerful. Which means he can be defeated. An I have solved difficult weaknesses before, so, yes, I believe I will be able to do something."

"I'm simply me," Alessa sad. "I know nothing about the decorum of monsters or demons or anything else. I know what makes me endure, and I know how to speak the language of corruption and death, of righteousness and nightmares. They are the things that make me, and I do not forsake them."

Alessa snorted at the Sharon comment. "Sharon had what Alessa did not. A family, one that did not give her up to THOSE people. What Sharon had was a mother, but she was still called to the place of corruption, to her true mother Alessa. She was granted her life in limbo, and I, mine amongst the stars. Almost ironic."

Alessa smiled. "Good. Because I am not going to be kind to this being. we demon beings are very possessive of our domains, and we don't like entrenching on what we believe is ours. When I find this god, I will expel him. That, I can tell you freely, is something Alessa gave me."

She looked up. "A hatred for that which extols divinity."

Pirogoeth thought about that response. "The fact thee is different is the interesting part. It's...certainly something new. Even compared to other demons or monsters."

"It is ironic. Though with an existence that is not normal, I suppose limbo is almost expected. The stars...well, I am surprised to find myself thither. At least she had some good memories to look back on," she said, looking at Sharon and Rose again. It was a relief, to have some peaceful times.

Pirogoeth laughed softly. "Agreed. At least, for the ones that try to be a bit too direct on how they affect things. The divine should deal with the larger picture and leave everyday life to humans. Truly, things like 'sacrifices,' be it human or otherwise is rather silly for a god to want. They live forever and those that are sacrificed will die with time. Why even bother to speed it up?"

Alessa shrugged. "I'd never thought of myself as interesting. I don't think of myself in human terms because I'm not one, so I only look similar. Still, from one who has seen and fought other monsters and demons, I do feel slightly flattered."

It was true, but it was also something to think about too. There was really a lot going on in the ship when you stopped and looked at things. Alessa had to learn more about the nature of the people on this ship before she decided for sure what her actions on the ship would be.

Alessa gave Pirogoeth a smile. "Is that necessarily true? Remember that humans, and to a certain extent even demon, are lacking in the know of what makes a god tick. For all we know, sacrifices make a god stronger, gives it direction. If there is one thing I've learned, its to not doubt the power humans give off and what they are capable of."

"Then thee is welcome," Pirogoeth said politely.

"The real question is not if a sacrifice makes a god stronger, but what is it that a sacrifice does to give them strength that another death does not? If it is a ritual, then it is not a true god. Any being can gain power by rituals and sacrifices. Suck out the life energy of another being and it must go somewhere. If a god must depend on that, then why are they different than any mage vile enough to do such a thing? And if there is no real 'ritual' to the matter, why not just wait until a human dies in whatever way they must naturally. Such as a volcano god only gaining power to a human thrown into his lava. A human is going to fall in there, no matter what, so why encourage it? And that is not going into why only some gods demand ritual sacrifice and others do not. I know at least two of the Seven Goddesses exist, but none of them demand the sacrifice of a human or even animals," Pirogoeth said. "Then there's the silliness of it being a virgin. Why does thatt make a difference?"

After the few times she'd almost been a sacrifice herself. If a god was really so strong, why did they need sacrifices while gods who have proven themselves strong do not.

"Perhaps they have simply convinced others to believe they are gods when they are just empowered by the sacrifices of human flesh. I have been testament to such rituals, but the madness comes from the followers. From the appointment of gods come these tyrants of men, these twisted figures that make it possible for a thing like me to exist. I am the last bit of justice that stays when the goodness and innocence of man is spent. In that, I am as twisted too. I exist on the mirrorside of man. For me, the existence of god as the towering figure over man is my greatest enemy."

It was, of course, true, but she knew her ways were also dependent of flesh too: the flesh of those destroy good, but still twisted nonetheless. But Pirogoeth understood that, as did Roxie, to a certain extent. Still, she did wonder why she chose to tell the Pirogoeth these things.

"What were these Goddesses like?"

"Which is why I have no love lost for those who are supposed to be divine, but demand sacrifice. Usually they are not what they say they are and just crave power. Of course, the followers don't help," Pirogoeth said. Though she got a thoughtful look as Alessa explained her nature. "Perhaps that is why thou art interesting. Instead of being a being that existed before hand, thou came from the emotions thee derives strength. In truth, perhaps the only thing that keeps thou from a god should be like is scale, power, and the fact thou art dependent on what happens to humans to create thee. At least, for how I see gods."

"There are seven of them, each another aspect of the world. Most like...the Hindu's of Earth. Not as many, but they are not limited to only 'good.' They keep things balance, in check. Aside from the first and the last goddess, all of them usually rule over one aspect as well as it's opposite. They keep it balanced within themselves, and thus balanced in the world. It would be the two I met that do not rule the opposites. The one of the end and the one of the beginning, but that is because they always together. Separate, but together. Moh had disrupted their balance and Largo and I were the best to defeat him without their interfering in the world. For if they were to interfere...things would have felt a far bigger impact."

"Followers not helping is an understatement. Followers are enablers, the ones that give candy to the screaming, infantile behavior of gods. They are, at times, far worse in their capability to twist good into something darker. When right becomes righteousness, any good that could come is gone, mark my words. The reason I am not like that is yes, I do need the strength of human sacrifice, but I am not, nor will I ever pretend to be a god. They are fixed within an infrastructure dependent on its worshippers. I am content being a demon and roaming where I please."

At the story, that was certainly quite engaging. "I can understand the aspects of balance as well as Alpha aand Omega. Were you and this Largo successful in your task?"

"That is the way of those who have followers. Either they must gain an iron will, or they will become like spoiled children," Pirogoeth agreed. "Though I have never met a true god dependent on it's worshippers."

For a brief moment, she was silent. "...I was successful at the task," Pirogoeth said. Largo did not make it to the end. He would have, had it not been for her.

"I have dominion over my minions too," Alessa sad, "But I create them out of nightmares. I don't create them from twisted beliefs. As for gods, I suppose we'll be finding that out soon, won't we?"

What she left out was a red flag. "Largo did not," the girl said simply. "What got him?"

"It is a being that was not supposed to exist," Pirogoeth said. "It may not be a true god at all."

"...Moh, and mine own mistake."

That Alessa was more than aware of. "I feel the same way about zombies," she replied. "That's why I took relish in destroying them. They should not be either. But at least they don;t pretend to be anything but hungry cannibals."

Alessa looked nonplussed. "Elaborate please."

"Unless someone is controlling them. I hath met zombies that acted like humans," Pirogoeth commented. Always an ambush too.

She was silent for several long moments. "My judgement had lapsed. It did not end well for Largo because of it."

"I have never heard of that," Alessa sais, looking amused. "But I could tell if it was pretending. Zombies give an aura of something wrong, and demon know how to recognize that fairly quickly."

At this, Alessa looked all the more intrigued. "What did you do, miss an enemy that slay him?"

"I usually could as well. Their pupeteer had a way of masking things. It was why he was always so hard to find," Pirogoeth explained.

"...no. I showed mercy when I should not have done so," Pirogoeth said, closing her eyes. Her body was tense, and guarded. She was restraining her emotions now.

"Those types are the hardest, of course," Alessa said. "But I've always felt that anyone who was actually foolish enough to try and bring forth vermin would eventually bring about their own end. It is a foolish thing to do."

Alessa listened. "Now it is clear. But I assume you know better now. As someone who deals in darkness and monsters, I can tell you it never pays to show mercy, even when that which you face speaks in a gentle voice and can use their charm to win you over. Those types you kill, quickly."

"Only in the fact he managed to attract two who were immune to his powers of manipulation," Pirogoeth said. They were always the ones who never swayed. It's why they were so hard to kill, even before he snuck into their group.

"That would have been best, yes," Pirogoeth said. If she had knew from the beginning, had simply killed him before she started to care...it would have been so much better.

Even if it was him caring for HER that kept him from killing her.

It was a difficult story to follow, but certainly one that sounded interesting enough to keep up on. "I should look into that then," Alessa said. "Discrepancies. Mistakes. Those are things taht can spell doom in any minion army, or any army of equals, in truth. Isn't that what divided the group that went to take the bridge? They lacked cohesion?"

Alessa smiled. "But you did not die. So you will know better."

Maybe Pirogoeth would tell her one day. Maybe. It depended on how much she might actually grow to trust Alessa. For the moment, it was still playing nice to see how she was exactly.

"It is hard not to attract those who can resist when the reach becomes too far. I do not believe he expected us to be able to do so," Pirogoeth commented. Then she shrugged. "I could not say, but the people here are of strong opinions. That can be deadly if one does not know how to deal with such." Like she had been able to do with Largo.

"Yes. I will know better," Pirogoeth said, sounding almost indifferent. It was why she was keeping such a close eye on Alessa.

Yes, the story of the puppeteer still made little sense to her. But that was something she could think about later, and maybe even experiment with. After all, they were just talking for now, it wasn't anything too severe.

"What do you mean 'if they do not know how to deal with such?' Are you talking about disagreement, or the people themselves?"

Alessa smiled. "You will. I think at this point, you have to."

Pirogoeth knew where 'just talking' could lead too. It led to dangerous waters that were often more treacherous than any obvious conflict.

"Both," Pirogoeth said. "It is a rare talent, to deal with both a disagreement and with people of strong personalities well. Many would need years of training to be able to pull off such a thing in a situation like that. Or train the people to not be so. That is why soldiers fight in wars and not civilians. Civilians will have in fighting at the smallest thing, but soldiers follow the few. Disagreement there can be fatal, but when it's not, it makes things...simple," she explained.

"Why at this point?" It was an odd thing to say, she thought.

"I would imagine it would make things a good deal simpler," Alessa said, "If they were not all heroes and fighters in their worlds. Their ways are bound to be different from another's, their sympathies sometimes leading them away from a mutual solution. Perhaps things might be easier if they realize that if they don't cooperate, they will eventually be picked apart and destroyed. It's all the same to me."

Alessa paused. "Well, except for that hedgehog and maybe you and that Roxie girl."

Alessa smiled, "Can't you feel the danger coming? I can."

"I believe they do realize that. Still, it is difficult because then they must decide who to follow. That is where strong opinions are mad. So many believe wholeheartedly one way, they can't relent," Pirogoeth explained. It was something that took years to get over or just a personality that much stronger.

"I assure thee, I do not plan from someone's stupidity that's on mine own side," Pirogoeth said. Whether or not she cared about her life, she was too prideful to die for a stupid reason.

"Of course I can," Pirogoeth said. She even volunteered to help with it. "But that being is different from Moh."

"In the face of danger, there must be a point where the levee breaks, if I might coin a phrase from a song," the demon girl replied. "Opinions are not important in the face of danger, surviving is. The dangers that face us are hoping that our differences will divide us and endanger any semblance of peaceful coexistence we can draft. So for that, I am counting on less failures from this crew."

Alessa shrugged. "Well, you don't strike me as the type to fall easily. You aren't going to follow blindly, because that will ruin what you set out here to do. If you are loyal to the idea of what this crew is about, there will be a time for breaking the rules a bit."

"Understood," the girl replied. "That being will be attacked, and I will be there. Demons are possessive, and we don't like gods meddling in the only realm we have left."

"Hopefully there won't be anymore. It's hard, however, since the opinions are also related to how they best think it is to survive," Pirogoeth said. Some would prefer less violence, some wouold insist it's needed.

"Of course. I act in how I think it best, even if it means setting aside my own beliefs to make sure a plan works. Or going against orders if the plan is just stupid." Or people are held back by moral beliefs.

Pirogoeth actually looked amused then. "That is good to know. Though, I doubt it's an actual god. Just something that powerful."

"They should know which they want to do now: survive or die. That's fairly simple. As for what's the best way to survive, sometimes agreeing for the greater good is appropriate in that situation."

Alessa nodded. "I thought so. That begs the question though: what do you think is a stupid order, or a stupid plan?"

She smiled. "We have a few gods on the ship, its not too far fetched. If he's one, it'll definitely require help of several people on the crew. That Nanoha girl would be helpful here."

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Fading into the background

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