removeimpurity | Appointments

Different? [The laughter in his voice is clear, a threatening edge beneath the jovial tone.]

You know... [His hand lingers on Helios' shoulder.] What if the kindness and the calm on the outside of everyone just masks their true feelings? It's a cruel irony...

[His tanned hand traces the edge of the mask's surface.] ...that wearing a mask could reveal the true nature within any person, simply because their face is hidden from the world...

[ That laughter and tone sends a chill down his spine. No. This cannot be happening to him again. Why now? Why-

His thought are thoroughly shattered at that hand going to his shoulder. A clear and obvious tension point only made more obvious from his clear anxiety and fear. Helios just shies and cringes away from that hand on his shoulder. His black tail whipping behind him in agitation. ] Th-that isn't true. Th-the only thing that m-mask makes is, is the darker p-parts of someone.

[ He is backing away and finds himself up against the side of a building. A wince as his wings are bent and squished slightly against the rough skin of the building behind him. ] It's n-not anything t-true. Just, just something else the Malnosso use t-to hurt us.

[ But he knows deep down that it's true. Dark emotions or not. They were still a person's to hold onto and keep locked away inside themselves. The darkside of the moon perhaps, and Helios tasted it all those months ago. He did not want a second sampling never again and no one else should have to go through it either. ] P-Please let me h-help you take it o-off.

[Another dark, cutting laugh comes from beneath the mask.]

Oh, I'll let you take it off... if you allow me to do something of my own, first.

[His eyes seem fixated on Helios' own, a piercing gaze that seems able to peer into his soul.]

There's something I've been meaning to do, ever since this... Shift... began.

[ A wary look even more worried than before. He can't possibly allow this unknown man to continue on like this. But he is so very, very afraid right now. He doesn't know what to think about the proposed "something" the other brought up. ] W-what?

[ No. He can't deal with this. He shakes his head. ] I-I'm sorry. I-I can't let you d-do that.

Oh. A shame.

[Syre turns away from Helios -- though not before casting a dark, foreboding glance in his direction.]

I suppose I should go find someone else to... volunteer, then.

[The next part is said more as a half-musing murmur than an intentional statement.] Someone like Robert, perhaps...

[ Helios' green eyes widen a little at that statement. A statement he knows that is meant for something. It rattles him a little to a point where there's a sharp intake of breath from him. ] No.

[ It's a word he can't take back and it almost seals his fate. He knows that and a hand comes up to his mouth afterwards. No he can't let Robert go through this. Nor anyone else. His eyes sting as he remembers his thoughts from that time in October. ] P-Please don't do that.

...No?

[He turns around, eyes filled with a seething anger.] You deny me, and yet you try to plead with me. How hilarious.

[His arms cross across his chest.] Either leave me to my work, or offer yourself in his stead, Helios. I've no time for these games.

I-It's not you. Y-You d-don't have to do anything. Just let me h-help you.

[ A wince and flinch as he considered those words. He'll bit his lip green eyes looking into anger filled ones. ] Wh-what are you...what are you t-trying to do?

[ He isn't even curious just fearful and timid and so many bad memories are being dredged up by all this. But he can't honestly think of anything...except. To desperately pry that mask off the other man's face. ]

What am I trying to do...?

[He closed the distance between them, voice even as he spoke with a troubling calmness.]

I want to see what makes you tick. You, who seem so different than myself...

[ Helios will wince trying to move away from the other. ] Y-you mean... [ oh gods can he really mean what Helios thinks he does? Helios' face pales at those words. Black horns becoming even more apparent from the lack of color in Helios' face. He shakes his head. ] I-I don't think th-that's a good idea. I-I'm not any different than you. Th-these horns and t-tail...they're not-not a part of me. J-Just something the Malnosso g-gave me.

[ Just like that damnable mask. Helios' arms might slowly come up from their plastered position against the wall. Maybe at this close he could get it off... ]

'Not any different', you say...

[He laughs -- softly at first, but slowly gaining in volume and wildness until he sounds quite insane.]

You are not Ecliptian! You are not of my kind!

Thus, you are much different than I am, Helios -- so, so much different!

[His voice drops to an eerie, chilling whisper, drawing his face closer to Helios' own as he continues.]

So I want to see... with my own eyes... Just how different you are...

Ah-! [ Okay personal space has been sufficiently broken and stepped into. Helios will just cringe away from that mask as if it has some sort of foreign disease or otherwise is deadly to touch. His hands move back down to his hands. No no no. This is not happening. He has to stay focused and get that mask off before this person does something they regret. But gods he is terrified and being constantly reminded of Giles and Halloween and what happened on that night. ] B-But if you know already that we are different...it-it doesn't really m-matter does it?

[ A pause. ] If, if s-someone is different. It's-it's not something th-that's bad...is it?

Knowing that we are different and seeing how we are different are two different things.

[The jade green eyes glint malevolently beneath the mask. It isn't exactly bad, no -- but he has a bad track record with things that are... different.]

It's just like mixing a potion... you can be told what it does, but being told is not the same as tasting it.

[ His tail flicks in agitation behind him. Too close. Far too close and with his current urges to hurt people...no, no. He is going to fight whatever effects came with these horns and tail. He has to. ] I-I suppose you're right. B-But living beings...they-they're not. [ A stammer paused. ]

What I mean is that I-I don't...I don't think s-seeing they way you want to is, is a good idea. [ Because there are several meaning to the word right now and none of them are painting a pretty picture for him. ]

... Then what is a good idea, hm?

[Leaaaaaaning in now.]

How should I satisfy this desire to know the unknowns? How do suggest I quite the incessant nagging in my head?

[Her eyes flicker with barely restrained... something. Anger? Insanity?]

Tell me... Helios.

I-I don't know. T-Talking to people h-helps to learn m-more about them...

[ Helios is just trying to melt into that wall now, okay? Okay. ] Th-there's a number of things y-you could do. I-I don't know wh-what you would prefer a-aside from what you mentioned though...

[ His voice is barely above a timid whisper as he tries his best to fight the urge to run. He'll bite his lip wincing and cringing. ] I-I'm sorry. I-I don't really know, know what to say.

Talking.

[He rolls his eyes in mock-exasperation.]

Do you think that the idea of simply talking has not crossed my mind?

[His hands slam down on either side of Helios' head.]

I'm tired of talking. I want to do something else now.

[Helios can almost hear the smile in Syre's voice.] Why don't you show me something, hm? Humor me, if you would.

[ Helios literally jumps stifling a small whimper but it's still clearly heard in the air. Oh god. Oh gods this was like Nero all over again. No. No. No. He wasn't going to get hit if he just did what this man asked.

He flinches and cringes trying to move away. ] Sh-show you? Wh-what? Wh-what do you w-want me t-to show you?

[ Hunching, cringing, waiting for a slap to the face or those harsh hands to grip into his shoulders. Gods it's all the triggers that he doesn't want to have or remember. All the things that make him incapable of thinking. ]

[One hand moves gently, almost... kindly, to Helios' face. He brushes his fingers, featherlight, against his cheek.]

Show me... what you can do.

Anything that you can do...

[He lifts the mask just enough so that his lips brush against Helios' ear.]

Satisfy me, Helios.

[ Just a startled gasp as that warm hand brushes against a very, very cold cheek. If that doesn't pique Syre's interest Helios' next trick might. His eyes glow a little and a small gust of wind might conjure up between them. It dissipates with a shiver from Helios as Syre's lips brush against his ear. He will jerk away shaking a little from the intrusive touch from the unfamiliar man. ]

P-Please d-don't do th-that.

Your skin... it's cold.

[For a moment, the shift is forgotten -- a feminine laugh leaves his lips as his fingers trace Helios' jaw.]

Why... is that?

[The sudden burst of wind that separates them -- briefly -- is also surprising. Syre pulls back, the smile still on his lips as he lowers the mask again.]

You've caught my attention, Helios. What else can you do?

[ Just another shaky hitch of breath as Helios moves his head away. He needed to get away. ] I-It's n-nothing. N-Nothing at all...

[ He really doesn't want to talk about it especially to Syre of all people right now. Too much pain and hurt and sorrow are wrapped up in its explanation so he tries to move away some more, wincing as he wings are lightly scrapped along the wall of the building. Helios blinks fighting that stinging sensation in his eyes as he does so. His stomach drops at those words. Gods of all the times to catch someone's attention. He was stuck wasn't he? And no one would be there to get him out of this one, that much he was certain. ] It-it's m-magic.

[ That's all it was. Simple magic and nothing more. ]

That didn't seem like anything "simple".

[Especially since such feats in his homeland required skill that took years to hone...]

[And took years from one's time.]

[Syre lowers his hands.]

This "magic"... how hard is it to learn?

[ Helios will move away and let out a shaky sigh as he looks back at the other. Another stammered reply will pass his lips as he flinches a little more when Syre lowers his hand. ] I-It depends o-on the p-person's dealings with it.

[ He doesn't mention the filial spirits because someone like Syre could be dangerous when using them, especially when he was like this. ]

[Syre's eyes narrow, his arms crossed across his chest.]

And if one has never used this magic before, how could one have "dealings" with it? Your words confuse me.

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