The Spy

The sun was setting in the sky. Grass crunched beneath the paws of a lumbering bear. Despite his clumsy appearance, his eyes were carefully attuned to the grass. There was a broken blade here... a misplaced leaf there... a fleck of spittle over that way...

Truthfully, tracking a chipmunk through a rolling meadow might have been one of the more challenging assignments for the spy, but if he took his time and ponderously studied every possible sign, he felt confident he would find his target.

Even then, what would he do? The question was troubling. He'd already blown his cover... maybe he could just ask the demon kindly what it was he was up to? Then again, he was likely to lie...

But I really shouldn't think like that, the incubus reprimanded himself. We're on the same side, aren't we?

One would hope so... or think so. Really, the best way to get insight into a person's mind was to talk to them. Even if they lied, their lies gave valuable information-- insight into the workings of the subject's mind, perhaps. Then again, there was always his species. Those of his kind had particular... methods of extracting information, though he was loathe to use his gifts for such a purpose.

[ EXP: 244 || +1 TEXP (5th post) ]

Jack had seen that look in her eyes, that look of non remembrance. She had made him that offer to come with him if he left the village alone. And so he had. Jack’ army was moving back down, heading towards Iskra’ territory. They would await further orders from him later. At the moment Jack was in a conflicted sense. He had left these creatures alive. Yet everything in hi body called him to return and tear them limb from limb, Sera included. But then, if he had harmed any of them. Likely that would not strike uh a good note with her. Question question question. Jack held his little furry head ( ye, till in the body of the chipmunk from before). Why did he care what she thought? She as hi, hi property. Memories of her smiling as he had offered to take her once again to the world above. That had been hi biggest mistake thus far. I feel ya Jack. Not something we deal with easy. Probably what drives most demons of madness to madness....I think that might have been hat did me in; in the end]/i]. A little revelation from the yellow eyed one. “ What makes you think that?”.Said Jack. The man behind the door was silent for a few seconds. [i] Just call it a familiar feeling. That wasn’t much of an answer. But still it was more than he normally got from the madness demon. And for some reason he was beginning to find that h was making sense. Or was it simply that Jack was becoming mad?

Jack rested somewhere in the forest on the top of a tree. Looking out over things in this body brought things into perspective. The world was o much...bigger. He scratched his little nose. And then just as he as about to move on. Something picked up on his senses. Tainted Senses. It was faint, almost not there. But there was still the taint of a demon. Jack watched and waited. Preparing himself for whatever came. Due to the faint nature of the taint. He assumed that it may have been a hybrid. Possibly even the hybrid that had been in the village. A rage began to engulf the demon of Pride again, one that threatened to en him on a rampage. He jumped don from the tree and gave a deathly glare in the direction of he taint.

EXP: 430

There he is!

The bear with his mask-like markings continued to lumber forward as lazily and bear-like as he could manage, but as a spirit perceptive to the feelings of others, he couldn't help but notice the rodent's red glare as it made contact with the ground.

Thus, his internal monologue continued as his doubts and fears increased. Well, he probably saw me talking to the bird woman. If my cover's already blown, it will only make him more upset for me to continue to lie to him. I guess I'll talk then. Should I change out of this form? Probably not, I wouldn't want to suddenly summon any magic before he knows that I come in peace. He can probably still do pretty harsh stuff in that form. Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end. Let's see... what do I know about this guy? Pride demon... from hell... really strong... killed the dragon... allegiance to Iskra...

"Why hello, my lord!" the bear began, his voice smooth and sweet as though airwaves could be honey-coated. The most innocent of words seemed somehow seductive when he spoke, but he couldn't help it. He laid down submissively before the chipmunk, an act that served to put Run on eye-level with the smaller creature. "Have I disturbed you with my presence? I am the lowliest of Iskra's servants, and I seek only a few answers to satisfy her. Do you have a moment?"

The statement was partially a lie, but it didn't dawn on the incubear that he hadn't told the entire truth until he'd already said it. Oh well. It may as well have been the truth. I do need to take a report back of some sort so we can figure out what to do...

[ EXP: 324 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Jack looked on as an oddly strange looking bear began lumbering towards him. He could tell from the taint, albiet a faint level of it that the bear wasn't any ordinary type. He was an Oni. Or at least a hybrid. However he knew of no hybrids capable of transforming thusly. The bear then started the conversation off rather, flamboyantly. Proclaiming him to be a lord. However whilst Jack was a Pride demon and not opposed to having his ego stroked. Nor was he an idiot. No demonic type creature would proclaim another thusly and actually mean it. Either this bear was terrified. Or it had an alternative motive. And with the mention of Iskra. Which one of those two it was became ultimately clear. However Jack had to remember that as much as he was angered at the moment with well. Everything. He was going to have to keep a clam head for his secondary plans. " Oh I see, one of Iskra's servants?". Jack replied, knowing full well Iskra didn't really keep servants. Rather. Clansmen and those she protected.

" Very well, go ahead and ask your questions".

Jack was willing to answer most of the bears questions. Most. He would lie when he needed to but would try to mix in enough truth that it covered those lies up. As for the bear coming to him. He was slightly suspicious of its motives. Particularly if Iskra had sent it.


EXP: 271

Ah good! He bought it!

The bear squinted at the chipmunk, doubting his conclusion for a moment. Or maybe not.

Specifically, the incubus knew better than to assume that a hell demon would ever trust a stranger, though there was authority in his current owner's name.

Nonetheless, he decided that it was safe to assume his other form. In a puff of black feathers, light, and sparkles, the bear was replaced with a lithe, though muscular, young man. He had shackles on one arm and its opposite leg, though they seemed decorative. Other than that, he was clad in black and his shirt was sleeveless and open in the front. The color scheme of his dress matched his black hair that fell in a shaggy mess down over his masked face and curly, sheep-like horns. Most notably, most of his face was concealed by a black mask, that left only one, half-open, yellow eye exposed to the world.

The mask didn't seem to inhibit his speech any. "She wanted to know what your plans were for this big army," he continued to lie sweetly.

[ EXP: 206 ]

The demonic chipmunk that was Jack looked on as the bear changed its shape, as he had thought. It was a demon. Although that lesser taint in his veins. It bothered him slightly. There was something distinctly off about it. Perhaps this one had the ability to mask his spiritual presence on some level that was able to partially disguise his demonic nature. Perhaps. But Jack wasn't going to make any assumptions just yet on this creature. For one, he didn't believe a word of that " lowliest of servants". On two accounts, one that was mentioned previously. Iskra had no servants. Second. She wouldn't send a lowly anything to face the Pride demon. At least he thought she wouldn't. The girl wasn't what you would call hyper intellgent but by gods she did have common sense. Particulary if this thing was trailing him.

"My plans for my army?"

At this stage Jack was able to deduce a couple of things. One Iskra knew about his rampages. And two. This creature had been following, or at least looking for him. This brought it down to one safe conclusion. Someone had been following him ever since he had started his rampage. Someone aligned to Iskra. Be it this thing or something else. And what made that slightly more worrying is that he hadn't picked it up. But he thought he would go for a little move to throw off the servant in this game. " Haven't you seen them?....I ordered them to march on Iskra's capital and burn it to ashes". A few seconds of silence, he would let that thought sink into the bear/thing. And then snigger. " Joking...I'm going to reclaim property of mine, and I'm thinking of calling in a favour your master owes of me".

exp:332

For a minute, the man just sat there flabbergasted, blinking his one eye. Honesty?

But before Run could say anything foolish, it seemed the chipmunk had merely been jesting. "Oh, that's a relief," the man said, his hand on the back of his neck and a sweat drop rolling down his head. "I mean, my mother always told me demons were disgusting backstabbers and umm..." Oops. "Joking too! That I am umm... Well, if it's a favor you need, I might be able to tell her if I can... uhh... figure out where she went."

The incubus suddenly looked very uncomfortable, at least the amount of his face that was showing showed that. "I think you should know that she was bothered by... something. Really, I don't know what, but she wandered off and I think she'll be back sometime soon but she didn't really say so."

He pouted and folded his arms. "Why would she leave me like that? Leave us, I mean. She seemed happy enough when she was doing those horrible things to me at night. Maybe she's trying to pick up some morality from somewhere."

The man only paused to sigh. "She kept mumbling about this weird poem she picked up somewhere. It doesn't make any sense."

[ EXP: 233 || +1 TEXP (5th post) ]

t the perfect time to invade and destroy Iskra’s village. Yet that would probably pose a problem if he was going to be asking for her help in invading that village. He looked ahead at the spy. Again keeping himself from trusting just any of the words, however he didn’t doubt that the spy wouldn’t lie about Iskra being away, unless of course he was trying to see if this idea of her being gone would spur Jack into revealing his true motives, it had been tempting. But no. Behind was the best place to stab in the back. And he couldn’t quite do that if Iskra wasn’t there. That’s when the strange demon made a comment that only gave further credence to the idea that he wasn’t a pure blood but a half breed, his mother had said that about demons. That in itself indicated that his mother wasn’t a demon. Then again she could just be a very self hating demon. Which wasn’t completely unheard of. Jack didn’t quite loathe his own kind in that way. But at the same time he didn’t quite like them either. Demons weren’t really the trust worthy type. Or the trusting types either.

Something else interesting though it appeared that this creature had been the object of Iskra’s desires. And well she had a lot of desires. But more interesting than that was the revelation that Iskra might have been trying to find herself some sort of morality. And that did not play into Jack’s game. If Iskra was somehow turned from the path of destruction. The path of the demon. If she turned from that well it could e that despite whatever favours that she owed him he would not be able to sway her towards his wants and goals. “ More morals?...she has far too many of them as it is”. Regardless. If she was away then it gave Jack plenty of time to return to Barthrum Regnum and complete the few tasks he required to do there as well as gather up the rest of his army. “ It gives me time to prepare then I suppose, I’ll return to the Seat of Pride....meanwhile however”. Jack let out that stare of his, the one that installed enough fear in his opponents to freeze them to the spot. The intimidating glare, and one coming from this demonic chipmunk. Archdemon’s Presence. “ I’ve got a job for you”. This half breed was a non factor in the roles of dark and light. And was going to more easily infiltrate and influence than any of his.

“If I am correct in my assumptions and you were the bear I saw on that meadow, then you already know of Sera”. Jack wouldn’t give the full story to the bear. Just enough however that he would believe. “ A few weeks ago I captured her and subjected her to multiple blood magic experiements....shes a very valuable test subject..one that I want returned...I want you to find her, ensure she remains safe. And influence her return to me”.
EXP:555

The incubus looked away uncomfortably. He felt somehow threatened, though that was to be expected. The thought of this person he was tailing as a powerful demon floated to the forefront of his thoughts and suddenly he felt very unsafe.

"Sera? You mean the lady?" He said quietly, though none of the smoothness had departed from his voice. "Test... subject?"

The slightest bit of dread crept into his voice. While he had the basic nature of a demon, he had a conscience, and the idea of sending a young woman to have her blood dissected by a fiend, even one he was in partial service to, bothered his heart. Rather, simply because she was to remain safe before her return didn't necessarily mean she would remain safe after her return. This other man was from hell, after all. There must have been some reason the woman ran away.

Unlike a kami, however, he was perfectly capable of lying, even if he wasn't always good at doing it in emergencies. "Actually, umm... I don't remember being in a meadow and seeing a lady or you fighting a shady-looking white haired guy at all. I definitely wouldn't recognize that lady. Must have been a different bear you'd seen. Is there anything else I can do instead?"

[ EXP: 241 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

xpected his stare was enough to keep the hybrid under thread. However he seemed to have some balls. Having the ability to lie to him. But Jack, as much as he respected the sheer cohunes it took to lie directly to his face. Didn’t like it when this lie prevented him from getting what he wanted. Jack emerged from the chipmunk as a black smoke, now standing at full height above this lithe individual. “ Listen, I’m going to explain this to you so be sure and listen”. Jack stepped in and forward, passing the males comfort zone. “ You said ‘ The Lady’, thus indicating that you knew precisely who I spoke of, your words,’Test Subject’ to me tasted as if they were full of concern. Which also indicates you know precisely who I am talking about, which also indicates you were that bear. And that you are lying to me.....But don’t worry... I understand....not everyone has a wide open understanding as I do...so I’m going to help you in being more open and honest”. He whispered a word under his breath. And a spell would make its way to the hybrid, Pride’s Chalice. I would drain him of his pride. Willpower. “ Now if your feeling more cooperative, listen carefully...she is no longer a kami”. Jack spoke these words rather bluntly. “ She is heavily tainted with my blood...for all intents and purposes she is a ticking time bomb. Thank god she has no memories, otherwise..”>. Jack at this tage himself was lying. Sera was perfectly healthy despite being infected with Jack’s blood. However he imagined that if her memories came back the shock of what had happened to her in hell would likely cause some issues. “ If her memories return, shes going to suffer a full mental break down, I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t kill her”. Jack stared down at the hybrid. “ If you want her to live, she needs to be returned to me before then. You just have to trust me when I say that I did not treat her cruelly after the experiments were complete”. Jack rapped his fingers across the trousers. He had came too close to the truth there. Showing enough concern. “ Of course, she knows far too much about things that happened in my operation. If she can’t be returned shes a liability, and I’ll have to take my army from Pride’s Bastion...burn down that village and kill her myself”.

exp:459

The way Jack materialized before Rivers made him fall flatly onto his behind, and for a moment he even scooted backwards, somewhat afraid, yet not sure if his fear would insult the demon.

A magical influence grabbed the incubus, though he didn't know of its knowledge and nature. Specifically, everything suddenly began to feel increasingly pointless, and his concern for others began to invert upon itself, leaving him only with thoughts of his own worthlessness... of the forbidden thing he represented. He was a loathsome creature, unworthy to grace any of the three realms. A freak. How could he be good when every breath he drew was a seduction and a sin?

This overwhelming lack of self-esteem soothed his fears to the extent that he no longer cared what happened to his miserable body. In fact, he no longer had it in him to explain that he thought Jack was lying. He was missing what it might have took him to say that he thought Jack was malicious, that obviously he must have treated her cruelly during the experiments because he couldn't imagine a kami willingly being asked to live out the loathsome sort of existence he was currently-- too good for hell and too sinful for heaven and not belonging anywhere on Terra. Perhaps if this wash of almost painful destitution didn't currently have a firm grip on his soul, he might have even decided that this Sera lady might be someone like him... something he'd not seen in all of the cheerless realms... the fruit of of heaven and hell.

But for the moment, he couldn't do anything other than nod quietly and stare down at the ground below Jack's shoes as he sat, half-fallen, on the ground. "Yes sir."

[ EXP: 333 ]

Well it would have appeared that Jack had at least partially succeeded in making this one a little bit more cooperative, but then again. That wasn't really something that was a cert at this point in time. The hybrid just sat there like some kind of bobble head saying " yes sir". It was rather concerning that at this stage he had drained enough Pride so that this creature didn't even care whether or not it could follow his orders. Jack sighed. And released the grip of Pride's chalice. Savouring the flavour of that last little lick of Pride from the creature. It would still be drained from before. An injury on its Pride but such a thing was not a scar and would not last so long as to be permenant. He would just be slightly less prideful than he would have otherwise been.

" So, forget the yes sir no sir bullshit".

Jack spat bluntly at him. " You know what I'm talking about now so I at least half expect you to have a go at it". Jack folded his arms. " Truth be told I'd rather have her back alive than have to kill her but you know , can't show weakness in front of the demonic horde or they'll pounce on you in seconds".

EXP: 228

"Whatever," the spirit grumbled dejectedly, pushing himself to his feet without even bothering to pat the dirt off of his person. "I'll do it. Not for you, though."

Despite the restoration of some of his pride, Rivers still wasn't back to his normal self. "I'm not doing it for you, though. You can kill me. It won't matter. This life is hard I guess, or... I don't care anymore. I'm doing it for her. You make it sound like..." He looked up at the sky, forlorn. "...she might be like me. I wish her every happiness, then."

And with that he began to walk off into the woods, still with a bit of sadness about his manner. Indeed, it'd take a long while for this sadness to wear off, because it was a side effect of his pride having hit rock bottom for a second. The sad thoughts... the things he thought he'd repressed, now had reclaimed their position at teh forefront of his mind for a moment, and it would take him awhile to get over them... to remind himself of why he was living, that is, to serve others and to make the world a better place for them.

But for now, in his mind, he was worthless.

[ EXP: 221 || +1 TEXP (2nd thread) ]

Updated Jack
Updated Mariko