[center][h1][b]Collab between Pezz and Skycera[/b] [color=mediumpurple]N[/color][color=MediumOrchid]i[/color][color=mediumpurple]a[/color] [color=00aeef]Chres[/color][/h1][/center] [hr] [hider=Hider] Chres followed Nia’s lead cautiously. He still wasn’t sure how much he could trust her, but at the very least he felt as if she wouldn’t turn him over to the other Crazed. There was an echoing silence as they walked. The only sound coming from the tread of their footsteps. This quiet wouldn’t do. If he wanted to build trust with Nia, then he needed to maintain some sort of dialogue. [color=00aeef]”You know, it occurred to me that with all the chaos back there, I skipped properly introducing myself.”[/color] He said after a moment. [color=00aeef]”The name’s Chres.”[/color] Nia looked across to him, a hint of a frown on her face. [color=MediumOrchid]“Don’t try and get familiar with me”[/color] she replied waspishly Chres shrugged. [color=00aeef]”‘Hey you’ it is then.”[/color] He said nonchalantly. * [color=MediumOrchid]“I know you’d try and turn on me the first chance you-.”[/color] A sharp pain like a knife in her brain cut off her words. She hissed air through her teeth and clutched at her head. She remained still for a moment as the pain gradually subsided before straightening once more. She groaned, massaging her temples before dropping her arms back to her sides and looking at Chres once more with a scowl. He eyed her with a frown. [color=00aeef]”I could have done that in the closet. Could have killed you before that even. I didn’t though. Nor do I plan to.”[/color] [color=MediumOrchid]”I doubt it”[/color] came her brisk reply before she began to walk once more. [color=MediumOrchid]“Then you would have had to deal with even more of us”[/color] She didn’t look back again, cutting that conversation off there, her head was pounding and she didn’t want to waste her time arguing when she knew she was right. * Chres sighed softly. Perhaps it would be better to move on to a different topic. Something… not too ‘familiar’. [color=00aeef]”So…”[/color] He started, [color=00aeef]”You say they are keeping the princess in the basement? Any idea why?”[/color] * [color=MediumOrchid]”Weeeell” [/color] She hunched her shoulders as she had before [color=MediumOrchid]“I might have heard a thing or two but I’m kept out of the loop a lot”[/color]. She slid the blindfold off her eyes and spun to walk backwards without losing pace. [color=MediumOrchid]“I never heard anything about a Princess until a little while ago though so I guess she was a late addition to the plans. I do know that these bands are what keep you from using your powers though among other things”[/color] She winced as another stab of pain ran through her head. [color=MediumOrchid]“Ugh, but If I had to guess, the basement is where she’ll be”[/color]. * These bands? Chres stared down at the orange bracelet locked around his arm. His eyes widening in realization. [color=gray][i]These towers, The Nation of Hearing call them transmitters.[/i][/color] Lord Ru’Tev had said. [color=gray][i]-they will transmit a signal to special objects within a perimeter. The receiving objects will create the magical effect being carried over- but the kinks are still being worked out.[/i][/color] [color=00aeef]”Senses.”[/color] Chres breathed out. Lord Ru’Tev… Was he in on this too? Or was all this going on without his knowing? A loud clang rang out just up ahead. A suit of armor collapsed, landing just in front of where Nia was about to step. [color=00aeef]”HEY! Watch where you’re-”[/color] * Nia tumbled backwards over the collapsed and scattered pieces of armor eliciting another loud clang. She came to a stop in a sprawled heap on the ground where she remained for a moment assessing herself. The elated sensation she had felt since leaving the closet abandoned her at once and she was left dizzy and deflated. She sighed dejectedly. [color=Mediumpurple]“...So, what were we talking about?”[/color] she asked, still on the floor. * Chres winced. Walking backwards was never a good idea in a Divergent. He bent over and offered her a helping hand. Would this be too ‘familiar’ for her, he wondered. [color=00aeef]”The basement, if I’m not mistaken.”[/color] He reminded her. * Nia looked at his hand for a moment before cautiously extending her own to take it. The last few minutes now felt indistinct to her, like she had just woken from a dream. A side effect of using her powers. At least she didn’t seem to have hurt Chres or to have done anything too stupid. [color=Mediumpurple]“Right”[/color] she mumbled, clambering awkwardly to her feet and sliding the blindfold back down her face to hide her eyes. * Chres arched an eyebrow. So then helping her up wasn’t too familiar then. He frowned as she slid down the blindfold. [color=00aeef]”Considering we are in a Divergent, might it be safer if you keep the blindfold up.”[/color] He suggested hesitantly. He wasn’t entirely sure if this topic was hazardous territory. * [color=Mediumpurple]“I'm fine”[/color] she looked off to the side as though avoiding his gaze. [color=Mediumpurple]“It helps with the...''[/color] she trailed off, then gestured to her head. Why did she feel awkward now? She'd never really interacted with a ‘normie’ before. It made her self conscious to think of herself as even more of an oddity than usual. * He pursed his lips in a gesture of comprehension. Talking about one’s inevitable descent into insanity was undoubtedly a delicate subject to approach with care. [color=00aeef]”Come on.”[/color] he urged gently, accompanied by a subtle smile and a nod. [color=00aeef]”Let’s proceed.”[/color] * She returned the nod and continued down the hallway towards the basement entrance. At first she was content to walk in silence but as they progressed onwards she grew more curious. She rarely spoke to anyone aside from her aunt and never a ‘normie’. [color=Mediumpurple]“So how did you end up here?”[/color] she asked at last [color=Mediumpurple]“Why did you come?”[/color] So ‘familiar’ topics are okay now? He eyed her and smiled. [color=00aeef]”Thaaats… a long story.”[/color] he admitted. He pondered for a minute wondering how to broach the subject. [color=00aeef]”Perhaps you heard about the Shimmertown-Cult incident a few weeks back?”[/color] [color=Mediumpurple]“I’ve overheard a few things but not really any details”[/color] Nia admitted, awkwardly ruffling her hair with one hand [color=Mediumpurple]“I don’t really talk to other people”.[/color] Chres nodded. [color=00aeef]“Well, let’s just say I’ve kinda wandered into the mess with the other ‘normies’.”[/color] -or not considering how The Being had played them.- [color=00aeef]”Everyone excluding the princess, that is. We all kinda wandered in… And fortunate for us, we all managed to wander out.”[/color] He frowned as he thought back to that time not so long ago. His goal had been simple then. To tarnish his name and to die doing it. A proper punishment to fit his crimes. Now though… Again Sillensia’s words fluttered through his head. [i]You don’t understand…[/i] He had to know. Had to know if he deserved death. But… what if it was far worse than he thought? The idea made him shudder. So he suppressed it for another day. Instead, he gave Nia a sidelong glance. The girl was a ray of hope for him. She could finally be the key he needed; the key to finally understand! [color=00aeef]”Because of that incident, one thing led to another, and now we are all here, working for the Empire of Touch’s military.”[/color] [color=00aeef]”They sent us here to speak with Lord Ru’Tev, yet…”[/color] He gestured, with a sweep of his hand, to emphasize their current unexpected circumstances. He dared not mention the specifics for why they needed to speak with Lord Ru’Tev. He had a feeling it would work against his goal of cultivating trust. * Nia nodded along, semi following Chres story. [color=Mediumpurple]“I… see? I think? It sounds like you’re caught up in some pretty big stuff working for the military”[/color] She looked thoughtful for a moment, then added [color=Mediumpurple]“My aunt and I… Our whole group I suppose, we made our way here recently to join this whole thing”[/color] She gestured just as Chres had. Chres eyed Nia, weighing her. Once again it seemed like her personality had completely changed. Was it part of her symptoms then? Could he learn to detect her personality shifts? Wouldn’t hurt to try. In fact, it would probably be useful. Dropping her hand back to her side she walked a little further in silence. This was almost enjoyable, talking with someone who seemed genuinely…Nice. She just had to ignore their current circumstance and she could almost pretend she was normal. At that, a thought occurred to her and she began to speak. [color=Mediumpurple]“Chres.. About Lord Ru’Tev, he’s…”[/color] She cut herself off abruptly mid sentence. That was too far. Was she really so desperate for a friend that she would betray the secrets of her own people? She chided herself mentally and cursed her damaged mind. This was exactly why she was a liability. Running a hand through her hair again she glanced away. [color=Mediumpurple]“Uh… Never mind”[/color] Chres gave Nia a half second glance. So there was something there. Lord Ru’Tev he had been involved, hadn’t he… or had they gone and killed him? He kept his ponderings masked. Digging too deeply risked setting off red flags. So instead he let the topic rest. [color=00aeef]”Chres? And here I thought you didn’t want me getting too familiar.”[/color] He teased with a bemused smirk. She frowned remembering her earlier words but feeling a disconnect between saying them and feeling them. She massaged her temples feeling embarrassed by herself from minutes before. He held up his hand to show he was only teasing. [color=00aeef]”Soooo…”[/color] He said after a moment; his expression thoughtful. [color=00aeef]”You came here with your aunt? What of your parents?”[/color] The girl was obviously old enough to take care of herself, but the question still had merit. Why travel with her aunt and not her parents. [color=Mediumpurple]“My parents?”[/color] She quirked a brow at that [color=Mediumpurple]“I’m not a kid you know, I can’t be much younger than you”[/color] He gave her a lopsided grin. Realizing that in itself made her sound immature she quickly added [color=Mediumpurple]“Well uh, they’re not around… You know how it is for Crazed. I mean. I assume it’s common knowledge? I don’t exactly know how normal people live ”[/color] He frowned at that. [color=00aeef]”I’m sorry.”[/color] he offered softly, [color=00aeef]”I figured that you were going to travel with family, then... I didn’t consider…”[/color] His hesitation was evident as he attempted to articulate his thoughts. [color=00aeef]”I guess... I don't know how it is. For your kind I mean.”[/color] What must it feel like, being ostracized and viewed as a threat to society? Constantly evading capture, living in perpetual fear of persecution? Always concealing one's true identity, haunted by the terror of one day losing sanity entirely? In response Nia simply exhaled in a deflated manner. It seemed ridiculous that people like herself were exiled over something they had no control over. Her silence spelt the end of their conversation and together they soon arrived at one of the basement entrances. Chres eyed the basement door with hesitancy. [color=00aeef]”So, this is it then.”[/color] He said. [color=00aeef]”Any idea what to expect?”[/color] She didn’t respond for a moment as she considered. The time to pick a side was fast approaching. She quite enjoyed her short time with Chres but she couldn’t put her own loneliness above her people. It was one thing to simply run away but another altogether to actively help people who she’d been ordered to kill. [color=Mediumpurple]“Why don’t you join us, Chres?”[/color] she asked, trying to keep the fast growing despair from her voice as she realized how this would likely go [color=Mediumpurple]“You seem reasonable, there’s nothing stopping you from helping us right? We could explain the situation, I’m sure they’d listen.“[/color] Chres paid her a glance and smiled softly. [color=00aeef]”This… is bigger than just a small group of Crazed just trying to find a way to survive. Isn’t it, Nia?”[/color] He said regretfully. [color=00aeef]”If this is the start of what I suspect it is, then I think you know as well as I that you’re friends won’t let me live.”[/color] He looked ahead at the door pensively and muttered. [color=00aeef]”And if that happens… no one will remember me...”[/color] His… everything, gone. Exiled from existence. All without ever learning the truth. Suddenly, he felt disgusted with himself. This woman- however she had been connected to Sillensia- had a family to go back to. Perhaps some of the only family she had ever known. And here he was, trying to manipulate her to betray that family and tag along with him so that he could fulfill his own selfish desires. Chres approached the basement door. [color=00aeef]”It’s okay.”[/color] He said gently. [color=00aeef]”Go back to your Aunt. Tell them I took you hostage. Or that you killed me, or whatever lie they need to hear. But… I can’t join your friends… I-I’m sorry.”[/color] He opened the basement door. Nia cast her gaze aside and nodded [color=Mediumpurple]“Chres… I don’t, I mean, Yeah… i…”[/color] She hung her head and fell silent then nodded as though agreeing with herself and continued. [color=Mediumpurple]“Right, yes. Good luck”.[/color] She winced and corrected [color=Mediumpurple]“I mean, try not to kill anyone, they’re not truly bad, really”[/color] [color=00aeef]”I-”[/color] He hesitated. Normally he didn’t think twice about killing if someone was threatening his life, but… [color=00aeef]”Okay.”[/color] He agreed after some deliberation. [color=00aeef]”I will try.”[/color] She turned herself away awkwardly and began to pace back the way they had come. With a grim sigh, Chres entered the basement. [/hider]