ATTN:[@AzureKnight][hr]Scarlett closed her eyes, sharpening her sense of hearing, as she listened to everyone speak and debate - personally and professionally - before she drifted through the crowd, and was suddenly in front of Ruecian. Underneath her hoodie, her eyes glowed with the faint light of the Abyss that seeped in her soul; this light was neither Hope nor Salvation, but entrapped in the Abyssal Void, like that of a black hole. It was the little that remained of the woman she was once, and all that kept her sane.

"[color=00ccff]Pathetic...[/color]" she says, simple, impactful - her first impression, of both him and him of her. "[color=00ccff]Making such bold statements, backed up by another, and your stoicism but you stink,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=00ccff]You reek of worry, defensiveness, and fear - concern; misplaced and dangerous,[/color]" she wrinkled her nose, "[color=00ccff]Is she not a Reaver? Denying someone her due, because of the risk, when that is the job...[/color]"

Scarlett tilted her head back at Evelyn, "[color=00ccff]You stink the same. All your bluster and pomp, yet you cower and kneel at the lilt of a harsh tone. Are you not your own keeper? Do you not manifest your own destiny? Can you not speak for yourself? Or, are you no better than a leashed and beaten wolf, submissive and tamed, servant to a master you never chose?[/color]"

Shifting her attention to Roze, Scarlett’s earlier born animosity towards her was visually evident, even if the shadows of her hoodie exposed only the faint glow of her eyes. "[color=00ccff]And you, If this mission is such a risk to newcomers, then it is a failure of your administration that it is an option in the first place,[/color]" she says, "[color=00ccff]Even worse, if this was a test of sensibility or maturity, it is a cruel one to place before someone that desperately wishes to prove themselves worthy of their title.[/color]"

Scarlett glared at Ruecian and Roze, as if challenging them to refute, even if her own challenge was uncalled for, unwarranted, and unnecessary; a Beast did not care about such Human ideals, like politeness and turning a blind eye. It confronted, accessed, and formed a solution - no matter the outcome. Scarlett didn’t need to be liked, but she wouldn’t tolerate the march of progress being impeded over petty things like Death.

Such was a bridge she had long crossed... or, perhaps, was still crossing without end..

Regardless, she made a decision, as she looked away from the two powerhouses she'd dressed down in a public forum, "[color=00ccff]Humans stand as the Apex Predators. Beasts should be made to understand their place. I’ll lend my talents to reset the Balance between Man and Mer...[/color]"

Though the report request asked to levy a firm, but gentle hand upon the Makara to drive them back to their ancient nesting grounds, it was clear that Scarlett would opt to overpower and overwhelm until victory was hers - such was the nature of her insidious combination of Alchemy, empowered by Void Magic.

"[color=00ccff]I assume this place has a library,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=00ccff]Until we are to depart for the mission, that is where I will be. Better to learn something of what I am facing than rush in blindly. Alchemy may be a form of Magic laden with mistakes, but this is not a laboratory where that is excusable...[/color]"

Taking her leave, Scarlett would seek out the library or some similar repository of general and specific knowledge.

[hider=Discussions With Darkness][i][right]{[color=000000]That was quite the grandstand you did.[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]Such overburdening displays of power, personal and professional, disgust me. Those with power should aid and teach, and not hinder due to emotion.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]Is that true? Do you think so lowly of your administrators?[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]Lower. To cower before another is truly pathetic. However, I think higher of the witchling than the Belua, and the witch that aided him.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]I can feel your hatred of them... but, is that the Beast or the Human?[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]Both, maybe. I don’t like to be hindered, any more than It likes to be impeded.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]You are such an interesting subject...[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]You are more talkative than normal.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]So are you. In the course of a year, you never spoke more than just now.[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]I had reason. Shavis is not interesting enough to hold long-form conversation with. Her Spirit, mayhaps, but he deigns not to speak with me.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]That’s quite the strong opinion over someone that was your caretaker.[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]Assigned. By pure chance. I could have been assigned to be anyone’s pet, and I would have likely played the same placid role.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]Even if you had been assigned to the womanizer and his hopelessly faithful woman?[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]...perhaps not. I would have likely eaten him, and her - for my safety, not her sake. Neither seems strong, but they are both Fae.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]Of course. But, what of the insectoid Belua or the graying gunner?[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]I don’t think I could tolerate someone I couldn’t speak to, and I doubt the gunner can take care of more than himself. Neither seem very personable, either.[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]Such low opinions! Ohohoho! You are amusing, little princess.[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]Shut up! Don’t you have better things to do than play Twenty Questions!?[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]You are my “better things to do”. Come, come. Let’s address the rest of the cast, shall we? What do you think of them? The Espers? The Swordsman? The Thunder Witch? The Bishie? The Alchemist? I’m curious.[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]And, I’m not! Why should I worry myself about those that mean nothing to me!? I don’t wish to think of them beyond what they can do to facilitate my goals![/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]The goal of dying, repenting with your life for what you did?[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]...[/color]}

[right]{[color=000000]Don’t burn all your bridges yet. You might need allies.[/color]}[/right]
{[color=00ccff]...[/color]}[/i][/hider]
Before Scarlett could truly think of a retort, or even a reply, the malevolence that funded her power terminated the connection. It was a one-sided affair, as the Maiden Abyss chimed in whenever she chose, but never allowed the reverse. Scarlett was barely in control of her own body, mind, and very soul.

However, she wouldn’t apologize. At least, not to Ruecian or Roze. She meant what she said, and she said what she meant. Honesty, after all, was the best policy, so they say.

...but, [i]maybe[/i], she could apologize to Lapis, at least - in private, of course - for publicly dressing down her friends and brother.

[i]...and, maybe Evelyn, too...[/i]