Come into my parlor...

[Atalan]

As Savina's long strides propelled them over the landscape, Atalan actually kind of enjoyed the sensation despite the occasional pain when a step was especially jarring for whatever reason. The android woman's strides never slowed and maintained the steady pace all the way to the edge of his lands as he directed her. He cleared his throat and tapped her shoulder. "If you don't mind, put me down here, we can walk the rest of the way, it is just over the next hill." He grunted as he took his weight back onto his own feet and got his bearings. After the pain in his chest receded he nodded to Savina, "My thanks for your help." It was always best to treat those who could pound you into the dirt with some civility and grace; at least until you were strong enough to return the favor. If it comes to that; she seems like she might be agreeable enough to work with if she is amenable.

As they reached the top of the hill he began, the manor came into view. It was a 3 story building formed from dark grey stone. It looked bleak except for the bright red shutters lining the windows. The grounds surrounding the manor were green and well maintained. He began talking as the began the descent to approach his home, "This is Osvald Chateau, named for my grandfather, Osvald the Mystic. He gained his Barony by revealing a plot against the Demon King and killing the conspirators in front of him. My father took it by force when he was just 25, defeating my grandfather and claiming it for his own." He cleared his throat, "I don't really know that much about it, that happened the year before I was born. My father decided to take a wandering Saiyan warrior as his wife and grandfather objected to the match for some reason, I gather. Father deposed him over it and I was born soon after. My own father disappeared when I was 18; most of the demon court assumes that I did it and kept it quiet. I let them think so, it makes things easier."

They reached the dark wooden doors under the entrance portico and the door swung open to reveal his grey skinned steward. He led Savina into the entry hall, which was richly appointed with a deep red plush carpet and a cedar plank lined coat closet to their right. Turning to Grazzel he cleared his throat, "This is Grazzel, my seneschal. Grazzel, this is Savina, she is to be treated as a guest. Bring me refreshments to my personal parlor... Savina would you like anything? I know you don't need to eat much, but do you thirst, perhaps? need any... oil or snything? No offense but I am ignorant of your needs and would not have you go wanting as long as you are a guest under this roof." He waited for Savina to answer and then led her to his parlor. 

It was a small room but it was... cozy. The floor was granite but there was a beautifully patterned crimson and onyx rug in front of the fire place with several well cushioned chairs to pick from. Atalan sat in a well worn leather armchair and gestured, "Sit wherever it would please you. Let's talk; what brings you to these lands? Not many people can best me as you did, I am interested to know your goals. You certainly have power, but un-directed power is usually a waste Savina." He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers waiting with interest to hear her answer. 

[609/609]

[zer0gravitea]

Savina happily obliged the Baron when he requested to be put back on his feet. Given his apparent political standing, she understood his reasoning for not wanting to be seen being carried around as he was, though… she did wonder if there might not have been some kind of hidden honor that could be played up to be carted delicately around by someone as potent as she was. The girl was quite aware of her own ignorance in the realm of political matters, especially ones dealing with strangely feudal systems, and opted to keep her thoughts on the matter strictly to herself.

Instead, she followed behind Atalan, keeping a step behind him and to his left throughout. Her senses would have allowed her to follow the shifts in his body language when he turned and stopped if she wanted to walk immediately beside him, but the girl reasoned: it was probably “proper” for her to not walk shoulder to shoulder with the Baron, and his injuries were still in place- she wanted to be sure to keep an eye on them so as to suggest that he might rest before they caused any sort of problematic loss of face. If the Baron didn’t want to be seen being carried around by the woman who had bested him, it stood to reason that he also likely would not want to be seen collapsing from an injury overtaxing his body or suddenly opening anew.

“Saiyan wife…?” she mirrored a portion of his story inquisitively, “So that means that you’re part Saiyan? No wonder you wanted to fight me-- I’d want to fight me too, ‘cause I’m a Saiyan!” Savina proudly pointed to herself with her thumb. She had met plenty of other… ‘hybrids’ before Atalan, but they were all the beastial chimeras trapped within her bunker and did not particularly make for good company.

“Water would be fine!” the android answered his uneasy question, “My body typically produces the lubricants it needs to keep my joints functioning well- I don’t really need to ‘oil’ myself or anything. Oh, but you probably meant… No, I’m not powered by any kind of combustion engine. I wasn’t really smart enough to understand all of my specifications when I found them, but I do know that my core produces an energy similar to what others on this planet call ‘Ki’- and it is capable of producing a nearly infinite amount. Somehow, that gets converted into a practical power source for automation and keeps me moving. I only need food to keep my brain nourished, ‘cause that’s basically all that I am. A brain- and some nerves to control stuff, and to basically stimulate my senses. I guess you could think of my body as… basically a really fancy prosthesis!” Truthfully, Savina wasn’t even entirely sure if she was totally accurate in her own self-assessment. Many of the finer details of her systems were still unknown to her, and attempting to access them generally did not go well. As she acclimated to her unnatural body more and more, her systems opened up more direct control to her, but something inside her body’s programming kept her from accessing everything at once. Probably a safety protocol to keep her from inadvertently turning off her brain or something. Regardless, she accepted the Baron’s invitation and slid herself comfortably into one of the chairs inside his parlor.

“Honestly, I don’t have any goals. I managed to get out of the place I was born, but that was in the middle of the desert. I just kind of… started walking and ended up at the little village where you found me. You seemed pretty strong, and I like fighting strong people, so… I wanted to fight you. That’s about as far as things go with me, really. I may look reasonably aged, but I’ve actually only been conscious for… my best estimation is something like four years. Most of the things I know were fed into me before I awoke-- I just know things, but I can’t really tell you how or why. Or, well, I can, just not in a ‘I remember a time where I did that thing’ sort of way. I spent a lot of time reading about myself and the projects that lead up to me, but power was very limited throughout the facility, and anything that I couldn’t directly share my core with couldn’t be powered on. After I cleared out the other projects, I was more or less wandering in the dark for a long time. Now, I’m just kinda… looking for places to go, people to meet and fight, things to learn, y’know?”

wc: 803
Atalan

[Atalan]

Atalan nodded thoughtfully as she told him of her body, "That technology is quite fascinating. I have little knowledge of such myself, my studies have leaned to other areas." He paused as a servant came in and set a pitcher of water and a steaming tea kettle between them along with a teacup for Atalan and a goblet for Savina. He waved the man off, "That will be all, do not disturb us further." He waited for the servant to leave and close the door before he continued. "Ki is a fascinating thing, indeed. Martial artists shape it into their own uses for attacking I understand. I use my own personal ki to shape the flows of mystic power in this world; it is my... interface with the powers of the arcane if you will." 

Atalan poured Savina a glass of water from the pitcher, then poured the strong black tea from the pot into his mug. He took a moment to dollop some honey and a touch of cream into his glass and leaned back into his chair whilst stirring. His face evinced a slight wince as his wound decided to lodge a complaint about the movement. He cleared his throat, "So in a way I guess your goal is to learn, grow in power, and to battle. I myself feel the call of battle sometimes, the Saiyan blood runs hot." He paused to take a sip of his tea; the slightly sweet floral flavor helped some of the tenseness ease from his shoulders. He held the cup in both hands and let the warmth seep into his hands as he pondered how to frame the next part of the conversation. 

"Considering that you seem to be free of any ties to any nation or powers, I feel comfortable revealing this. Much like you, I am seeking to grow my own power and test it against others. However, I have a goal in mind; the first step of which will be to conquer the Demon lands once I am strong enough. I plan to topple the king himself and take his throne. When I do this, I will likely need some powerful warriors at my side. Here is my proposition; When I am ready to seize power, you will come and help me with the battles. In return, you may call on me for assistance in one battle of your choosing. I think we could be allies, and perhaps in time friends. I think we both relish the same things, combat and power. What do you think?"  

He raised the cup slightly and let the steam roll over his face, breathing deeply of the scent of jasmine. It was one of his favorites, especially when he wasn't feeling well. He casually crossed his legs and waited for an answer. He was making all effort to appear casual but he was terribly tense after having revealed so much. Tense... and excited and hopeful all swirling around. His golden eyes rested on his guest; much might ride on what Savina said next. 


[511/1120]

[zer0gravitea]

She reached out for the goblet of water, plucking it off the table to take a moment to simply observing its craftsmanship. The thing was well made, no doubt a result of Atalan’s privilege as a Noble in these lands. Savina wondered if he was afforded such things thanks to hefty taxes levied on the locals, or if perhaps his magical abilities allowed him to circumvent the necessity for many actual payments from his subjects. She wasn’t terribly concerned one way or the other, merely idly curious- so far, Atalan did not appear overtly malicious towards those he ruled over. If the people were unhappy with his rule, or at least desiring something new, they likely would have flocked out as soon as they saw Savina handily defeat him. Perhaps that was the real reasoning behind having her carry him out of there, to give the citizens an idea that their spar had been friendly in nature, and that she was not some liberator to give them hope? That particular thought was a disturbing one, the sort that had Savina lift her eyes to look at the Baron over the lip of her goblet. Was he entertaining her now just because she was a threat to the stability of his region? Aaaah, politics are hard. I don’t think I’d rule even if someone voted me in… she finally decided, averting her eyes back to the water. She took a small sip thereafter.

“Yeah, being Saiyan is pretty intense sometimes. It’s like.. A memory that won’t go away, y’know? Like fighting is kind of nostalgic or something, and getting in the thick of things is returning to ‘the good ol’ days’. That’s the best way I can think to put it, anyways,” she shrugged after replying to his comment about Saiyan Blood. Afterward, her attention was caught more fully by the Baron’s proposition.

He spoke of a King of the Demon Lands and the prospect of overthrowing him- the prospect of a glorious battle between the strongest of the Demons and Atalan’s forces, which would… possibly include Savina. She couldn’t lie to herself- the idea was certainly an appealing one, but did she really want to get wrapped up in the political implications of those sorts of battles? Moreover, she wasn’t much of a murdering sort, and it was unlikely that she would be allowed to participate in such a battle without having to commit wholesale slaughter, basically. That was not to say that she was inherently against the idea of killing someone, just… you can’t fight a dead man twice, right?

“Battling it out with the strongest of the Demon Lands does sound really fun, but even my Saiyan genes are a bit hesitant here. I don’t know anything about the Demon Lands other than, well, they exist. I don’t know how strong the King is, how strong his soldiers are, or… There’s just too many unknowns, yeah? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not scared of fighting someone stronger than me- just seems like a good way to get myself killed, and I can’t exactly fight anyone if I’m dead, right?” Savina pursed her lips and continued to contemplate the offer.

“... I guess the idea of going in blind is kind of exciting, too. I don’t think I’m ready to commit to something like that so soon after getting out of the bunker, though. When were you thinking of waging this big ol’ war of your?”

wc: 595
twc: 1398

[Atalan]

Atalan smiled and raised his right hand, snapping his fingers he summoned a map of the Demon Lands from his desk. He drained the rest of his tea hurriedly and set it on the tray. This is the first time I might be able to hook someone into this... need to present it logically and maybe she will sign on. Where to begin..." He held out his free left hand, smile fading into a wince for a moment as he concentrated and the tray disappeared back to the kitchens leaving the low table free. He leaned over and carefully unrolled the map, "This is a map of the Southern Demon Lands." He pointed to his own lands near the south western corner of the border, "And these are my lands. It is neither the biggest nor the smallest barony for now. But it has grown under my rule." 

He explained to Savina the strengths and weaknesses of the barons nearest to him before he moved the finger to the largest district, "This is where the king himself rules. Understand that this is a plan that is still coming to fruition; but I need to start pulling it together now instead of the last moment. I plan on being much stronger before trying to face the king and having powerful warriors at my side as he will. I understand an applaud your caution; and I agree that now is obviously not the time. I have much to much room to learn and grow. I am sure you do as well, though you strike with mighty power I must say." He ruefully touched his bandages for a moment. 

He leaned back into his chair and eyed Savina his eyes glowing with excitement and his voice actually took on an excited tone, "I would say we are looking at least a year into the future. Like I said I need to gather more people to stand at my side and even more than that I need to gain more power for myself. I also intend to build a stronghold and expand my base of power. You don't have to even answer me right at this moment, though I would like for you to keep this to yourself. If you find yourself undecided, we could shelve this for now and meet again at a later time. Or if you feel unlikely to commit yourself to this battle for whatever reason, you might be able to... send likely individuals to see me. Just tell them I have some potential work to be done." 

Atalan rubbed at his smooth jaw, "I suppose I should pause and let you answer me now, I am not usually so talkative, but this is my passion project." He leaned forward and studied the map once more, awaiting Savina's answer while his heart beat wildly with excitement at the thought of potential conquest.


[482/1602]

[zer0gravitea]

Truthfully, Savina didn’t mind sitting across from a particularly talkative individual. Her time within the bunker had been fairly solitary, save for the occasional computer that had enough power to answer a few questions… and the chimera creatures. The girl had gotten used to talking to just herself or sitting entirely in silence, so the opportunity to have a conversation about something that wasn’t her own idea was fairly exciting. Not as exciting as fighting with a strong opponent, of course- but a pretty close second. Or… maybe a close third, with eating a tasty meal coming up as second.

Regardless of her enjoyment of the simple fact that they were having a conversation, the android opted to take a silent moment to consider everything that Atalan was proposing. A year was plenty of time to grow in strength- both personally, and as a faction… but Savina remained a bit unconvinced as to the strength of the opponents they would be going against. Her instincts told her that it was perfectly fine to throw herself into an unknown battle and claw her way to the top, but the good-sense of her Tuffle side very clearly informed her that suicide by demon army was not a particularly prudent course of action. What it really boiled down to for her was the simple fact that she had not yet experienced enough of the world to have an adequate understanding of what was truly ‘strong’. She had only her own strength to measure things against, and she had so-far failed to encounter anything that had truly bested her. (And, if Bryce is reading this- the author feels obliged to inform him that this series of events was chronologically before Bryce concussed the poor girl!)

She pursed her lips and sat forward, looking to Atalan again to take measure of his injured form. Obviously he had enough leadership ability to maintain some level of control over this area, which probably meant that he was much better suited to leading an army than Savina herself. Besides, she had seen her blueprints- her creator’s notes. She was never meant to be a proper soldier, but more of an irregular unit fielded to cause disruption in enemy battle-lines. That probably meant that even if she could not fight toe-to-toe with the strongest in the Demon Kingdoms, she’d be an effective tool on the battlefield at least.

“Well… I don’t wanna make any promises just yet, because I’m still pretty new to this whole ‘being in the real world’ thing. Write me down as a tentative ‘yes’, but I’d like to take some time to get to know the world and find my place in it more before I go signin’ up to be a soldier in someone else’s war. So…” she slapped her knees and stood up.

“... I guess the real answer is, let me get back to you, yeah? I’ll come find you again in, say, a half year’s time. We can talk more specifics then!”

wc: 513
twc: 1911